Rifle Used In Texas Shooting Spree Up For Sale On Gun Site
A rifle which was reportedly used to carry out one of the worst killing sprees in Texas history is up for sale in Dallas by a gun collector, according to the Houston Chronicle.
[su_center_ad]The Remington 700 rifle was used by ex-Marine Charles Whitman during his August 1st, 1966 shooting spree from the observation deck at the University of Texas in Austin and now it’s is up on the Texas Gun Trader website with the hefty price tag of $25,000.
Donald Weiss of Dallas is helping the unidentified owner sell the firearm. “There is a pending offer on the rifle of over $25,000 right now,” Weiss said.
Weiss is also a gun collector. In the listing on the site it reads:
Once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase the UT Austin Sniper Rifle once owned and used by Charles Whitman during the UT sniper shootings in 1966. On August 1,1966 Charles Whitman climed to the top of the administration building of the University of Texas tower in Austin, TX. He Began what Life Magazine called “The most Savage one man rampage in the history of american crime.” Ninety six minutes later 48 people were shot. 16 people were killed including an Austin police officer, 32 others lay wounded. The following rifle is up for Sale: Remington 700 ADL, 6 MM CAL with Leupold scope. Documentation will be shown. Accepting bids starting at $25,000 Contact Donald Weiss: 469-506-8885
The pending offer for the firearm came from a man in Orange, Texas.
Whitman spent hours gunning down Austinites until police killed him.
“I think that people who have an interest in this will be shooters or gun collectors. It will be bought for collector value,” Weiss said.
Andy Kahan, Victim’s Advocate for the City of Houston, said, “The value of the weapons is enhanced because of its past, but I wonder why a weapon like this is not in a museum.”[su_csky_ad]
Image: Texas Gun Trader.
rg9rts September 25th, 2014 at 8:36 am
As I recall he was a real loon with a brain tumor…no excuse for the rest
tiredoftea September 25th, 2014 at 11:55 am
Yes, he had gone to several doctors in the months before his murderous acts. But, he was not diagnosed and the tumor was discovered in the autopsy.
rg9rts September 25th, 2014 at 1:08 pm
Which he asked for
tiredoftea September 25th, 2014 at 1:36 pm
I wasn’t aware of that. So, he was certain of his condition, but not lucid enough to prevent his own actions?
rg9rts September 25th, 2014 at 1:38 pm
He knew something was wrong but couldn’t stop himself…
tracey marie September 25th, 2014 at 2:06 pm
I was not aware of that fact.
Tammy Minton Haley September 25th, 2014 at 10:58 pm
most things in life are not quite as clear-cut or black-and-white as we’d like…
tracey marie September 25th, 2014 at 11:00 pm
Very true, I am just annoyed and embarrassed that I never knew that very important fact.
Larry Schmitt September 25th, 2014 at 8:51 am
Next item up for bids: the actual axe used by Lizzie Borden, followed by the knife used by Jack the Ripper. What a lovely collection those will make. And I have a piece of one of the lightning bolts god used to strike Sodom and Gomorrah.
tracey marie September 25th, 2014 at 2:06 pm
I had the salt from lot’s wife but I need it to cook with.
causeican September 25th, 2014 at 9:25 am
An item that only a gun nut would love.
RioBravoHombre September 25th, 2014 at 10:39 am
What’s even more disgusting than this is that the University of Texas has no memorial to the people slain by Whitman. Behind the Tower that Whitman fired from, there are tiny ponds used by biology students for experiments, and one of these is somehow what passes for a tribute to the dead. The University of Texas has statues of Civil War Confederate traitors spread all over campus, but the powers that be there want to forget all about Whitman and the innocents he slaughtered.
Wiley Post September 25th, 2014 at 1:33 pm
You have to remember this is Texas. Why would you erect a memorial against a persons right to own guns?
Brad_Z September 25th, 2014 at 10:47 am
Kahan wonders why this weapon isn’t in a museum, I wonder why it isn’t locked away in police evidence.
tiredoftea September 25th, 2014 at 11:53 am
The case was closed and the rifle was returned to his family?
whatthe46 September 25th, 2014 at 3:57 pm
then the question would be, why would they have wanted it back. twisted.
tiredoftea September 25th, 2014 at 8:40 pm
Yeah, I have no idea. Perhaps the guy’s family had no idea what to do with it when it was returned? Or, gave it away? The article mentioned a gun dealer was behind the sale, so he/she is crassly taking advantage?
Denise September 25th, 2014 at 10:53 am
august 1, 1966? I think I saw this on one of those true crime shows. did he not kill his pregnant wife while she was in bed as well? there he killed others at the university, including another pregnant woman? how did this gun manage to get back into society? should it be in storage with other evidence used in a crime?
whatthe46 September 25th, 2014 at 3:54 pm
it should have been distroyed.
Tammy Minton Haley September 25th, 2014 at 10:49 pm
yes–before he went to the school, he killed his wife and his mother…