Article fails to mention that Tower sniper was also a victim

October 2, 2014

Regarding Christina Noriega's article in Tuesday's issue of The Daily Texan I would first like to commend her on an excellent article. There is, however, one salient and extremely important point which was not addressed in her article. Charles Whitman was diagnosed with a brain tumor and this supported by the autopsy records and many other documents as well as contemporaneous reports written at the time. The first thing he did that day was shoot his mother.

While I am by no means defending Mr. Whitman or his actions, it seems to me that a more fair, responsible and reasonable account of this terribly tragic incident should include the fact that even though he fired the shots, he was himself a victim.

— UT alumnus John Stephen Taylor, in response to Tuesday's article titled "Rifle used in UT shooting up for auction"