Читать книгу The Hum - Ralph Anderson - Страница 3

Austin, Texas 6:45 PM July 31, 1966

“I do not quite understand what it is that compels me to type this letter. Perhaps it is to leave some vague reason for the actions I have recently performed. I do not really understand myself these days. I am supposed to be an average reasonable and intelligent young man. However, lately (I cannot recall when it started) I have been a victim of many unusual and irrational thoughts… I talked with a Doctor once for about two hours and tried to convey to him my fears that I felt come overwhelming violent impulses. After one visit, I never saw the Doctor again, and since then have been fighting my mental turmoil alone, and seemingly to no avail.”

12:17 AM

The knife piercing his mother’s heart as she lies sleeping kills her instantly.

“To Whom It May Concern: I have just taken my mother's life. I am very upset over having done it. However, I feel that if there is a heaven she is definitely there now. I am truly sorry. Let there be no doubt in your mind that I loved this woman with all my heart”

The hand written note is left by her body.

3:05 AM

It took three stabs to the heart of his sleeping wife before she died.

“I imagine it appears that I brutally killed both of my loved ones. I was only trying to do a quick thorough job”.

5:00 am

The outside of the envelope containing the letter is labeled 'Thoughts for the Day’. He adds: “8-1-66. I never could quite make it. These thoughts are too much for me”.

11:30 AM

Dressed in khaki overalls Charles Whitman wheels a dolly carrying a footlocker past the unsuspecting security guard, towards the main building of the University of Texas, Austin. Getting in an elevator he pushes the button for the 27^th floor. The elevator doesn’t move. A pleasant woman working for the university sticks her head in to the elevator. “Oh, it’s not powered up. Let me turn it on for you.” She flips a switch. Grateful, Charles says, “Thank you. You don’t know how happy that makes me.”

On the 27^th floor reception area for the observation deck Charles Whitman unloads from the footlocker a Sears Model 60 semi-automatic 12 gauge shotgun , a Remington 700 6mm bolt action hunting rifle, a .35 caliber pump rifle, a .30 caliber carbine, a 9mm Luger pistol, a Galesi-Brescia .25-caliber pistol and a Smith & Wesson M19 .357 Magnum revolver, and over 700 rounds of ammunition.

11:45 AM

Having already killed the tower receptionist Edna Townsley, and visitors Marguerite Lamport, and Mark Gabour in the stairs and reception area, Charles Whitman begins a sniper rampage from the outer observation deck. Within the next two hours Whitman shoots and wounds 33 people and kills 14. Killed were students, a professor and a police officer. At approximately 1:30 pm the blood bath ends when two police officers reach the observation deck. Officer Ramiro Martinez fires six shots from his service revolver. All six shots miss. Officer Houston McCoy then fires at Whitman with his shotgun and kills him.

Outgunned, and armed with only pistols and shotguns, police were grateful for the help of civilians who arrived on campus with their own rifles, keeping Whitman pinned down, saving many lives.

Nudge.