Rifle of America's "first active shooter" up for grabs (VIDEO)
A rifle purported to be among those Charles Whitman used in his 1966 shooting spree is up for sale on a Texas gun classifieds site. (Photo: Texas Gun Trader)
Perhaps one of the most infamous firearms ever carried by a criminal in his final act, the bolt-action rifle among those used by Charles Whitman in the 1966 University of Texas shootings, is for sale.
The gun, a Remington 700 ADL in 6mm with a vintage Leupold scope, purported to be the same one that Whitman climbed to the top of the 28th floor observation deck of the UT main building and among the guns used to kill 12 people with, is listed for sale on a Texas gun classifieds site for $25,000.
Although the listing details are not very extensive, an image of the rifle’s left hand side shows the firearm’s serial number to be 149037. This serial number and description would seem to match police reports in the public domain of the guns used by Whitman in his notorious deed.
Whitman, a former Marine, shot 46 people on Aug. 1, 1966, after first killing his parents. Over a 96-minute period, he sniped at pedestrians, passers-by, and police from the UT tower, some at ranges over 400-yards away, before being killed by three officers and a deputized citizen.
After his death, it was found on autopsy that Whitman had a brain tumor that could have had an influence on his actions. Whitman has since been described as the country’s “first active shooter” and is credited as being the catalyst for the formation of university police departments and modern SWAT teams to form and train.
The seller did not return phone calls for comment from Guns.com
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