UT Shooter Colton Tooley Described As 'Intelligent, Meticulous'

New details are emerging about Colton Tooley, the sophomore math major from Austin, TX who sprayed the University of Texas campus with gunfire yesterday before taking his own life.

According to the Daily Texan, friends recall Tooley as "quiet, intelligent and helpful."

The Texan has more:

In high school, none of his classmates would have suspected that Tooley was capable of violence, said Plan II and journalism junior Rachel Platis, a high school classmate of Tooley and a former Daily Texan staffer.

"He was a quiet boy," Platis said. "He was always so respectful and sweet."

KVUE reports that Tooley graduated seventh in his class from Crockett High School in 2009.

A man who said he was Tooley's cousin, who gave his name only as Marcus, spoke to the media yesterday (video below). He said that there were no signs of Tooley's rampage.

"If he was depressed, you would never know it, because he would never express his emotions,"
he said.

A neighbor of the Tooleys told the Austin American-Statesman that Colton was "shy but polite" and had "the heart of a poet."

Crockett High School Principal Craig Shapiro released the following statement yesterday:

"All of us in the Crockett High School community are shocked and saddened by today's tragedy at the University of Texas. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Colton Tooley.
Colton, a 2009 Crockett graduate, was an excellent student, who excelled in every subject, and was ranked 7th in his class. His teachers recall him with words such as "brilliant," "meticulous," and "respectful."

Crockett High School will have additional counselors on campus, beginning Wednesday, to assist students and staff who request their services."

WATCH: Tooley's cousin speaks out.

Comments

[catcancook]

02:59 PM on 09/30/2010

Obviously, just because someone is intelligent, quiet, and respectful does not preclude that they have a dark side or are hiding depression. Something was wrong with this young man and he chose to kill himself and make it a public statement but he did not kill others. There will be a forensic analysis on him and no doubt everyone who knew him will be questioned. There may have been problems inside of his family and his relationship with his parents that no one is privy to. Rage that simmers cannot always been seen in individuals until something horrible happens and it explodes.

[sarcasmo]

06:29 PM on 09/29/2010

I think the real question is, how can we blame this tragedy on Obama? I mean, surely its his fault, right?

[RevJimIII]

11:53 PM on 09/30/2010

You seem to live up to your name.

[GuiltD]

06:27 PM on 09/29/2010

Why were there black military helicopters flying around the school? I also noticed black military helicopters flying around USC yesterday which was weird

[20yearnavyvet]

02:50 AM on 09/30/2010

They were probably looking for you. Stay out of sight! Check the backs of those stop signs for "the code".

[xlntcat]

05:37 PM on 09/29/2010

He age places him in the typical age range for onset of both bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia.

[houston1]

05:26 PM on 09/29/2010

HP knows that I note intolerance, as I look for witty comments, so what the heck.
The comments on this one are the most awkward that I've read here before.
Some couldn't determine if the shooter was White or not, so they were at a loss as how to judge him, others got it right away.
Priceless!

[EricBlair84]

03:37 PM on 09/29/2010

Multiple reports describe the shooter outside the library as wearing a BLACK SKI MASK. Why doesn't it make any sense that this person would ki.ll himself?

The act of wearing a ski mask is indicative of someone who wishes to conceal his identity and get get away with a crime, not someone who plans on committing suicide at the scene. In other words... the shooter probably planned on escaping, not taking his own life.

So... what evidence is there that Colton Tooley was indeed the shooter? Officials say they found him dead in the library, of "an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound", but nobody actually saw him shoot himself.

Also, Fox 9 News, along with other news sources, reported that "immediately after the shooting, police received reports of a second suspect on the campus."

Police later concluded that Tooley was the only suspect... but if someone wanted to cause a violent ruckus on campus and escape without detection, wouldn't it make sense to frame an innocent student?

[SlyPhox]

04:31 PM on 09/29/2010

If you've ever watched The First 48 the investigators a lot of times mention how some witness testimony can turn out to be untrue.

For me, I think he was just trying to look scary, cause a stir. If he really were intending to shoot people, he wouldn't have point his gun down to the ground and shot. I'm hoping (sorta) that he knew how to raise it up enough to actually get people. I think those were warning shots or just to try to scare people.

Tests will reveal that he shot himself - fingerprints on the gun as well as the shell casing matches, as well as location and direction of the wound.

[EricBlair84]

04:52 PM on 09/29/2010

I think carrying around an AK-47 and shooting it at random is more than enough to make someone look scary and cause a stir. Wearing a ski mask wouldn't make a difference at that point. It only beneifts someone who wants to get away without being identified.

A number of witnesses have reported that the shooter deliberately avoided shooting anyone. Why? We may never know.

[throwcautiontothewind]

08:21 PM on 09/30/2010

Yes, he clearly wasn't highly motivated to kill people. The only thing is, if you're planning to only commit suicide, an AK47 has got to be the least efficient gun to use for that purpose.

[BlairCase]

05:22 PM on 09/29/2010

I can't find any news media reports that say Tolley wore a ski mask, although news reports contain many wittness descriptions. The existence of a second gunman was initially reported only as a possibility. Apparently, Tooley sprayed rounds at more than one campus before entering the library. The investigation is just beginning. At present, as you pointed out, it's begin called an apparent suicide.

[EricBlair84]

01:56 PM on 09/30/2010

Do a google search with the words colton, tooley and mask... and you will get over a dozen articles. Here are a few:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/shots-fired-university-texas-austin-cops-hunt-gunman/story?id=11744405

http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/colton-tooley-what-we-know-about-the-suspected-ut-shooter/19652387

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/28/MNN71FL1V9.DTL

[EliSpark]

03:08 PM on 09/29/2010

The PCL, the library where the shooting happened, has a security guard there 24 hours a day at the entrance. More security would not have prevented this. Changing the UT grading system off of a bell curve grading scale would though. Instead of grading us on what they know at UT they grade us in comparison to everyone else. So some must fail the class. It's how the system was created. UT also doesn't have a good mental health program. They only offer services once a month. If you need real counseling they don't offer it. In Austin we have a severe lack of mental health professionals. This coupled with a bad public transit system makes getting help very difficult.

[xlntcat]

05:39 PM on 09/29/2010

It is hard to believe that any college that size doesn't have a full time mental health clinic on campus.  Of course, this is Texas.

[prophile]

12:24 AM on 09/30/2010

The University of Texas is not what you think. It's a liberal-leaning place, not any different from University of Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, etc.

[EliSpark]

10:25 AM on 09/30/2010

We do have a full time mental health clinic but there are not enough resources for the 60000+ students on campus. They will only see you a few times a year. There are almost no psychiatrist taking patients right now in Austin either. It's very frustrating.

[panasonic52]

06:58 PM on 09/29/2010

hm I think for students who have serious problems, the clinic makes time for them. Students who have depression are seen on a more consistent basis, and I think they also have more avenues of getting in contact with the psychiatrist. But I do agree that the program still isn't that great though. There are too many students and too few counselors to give proper help

[EliSpark]

10:27 AM on 09/30/2010

I've gone through it myself. They will only see you for minor problems otherwise they referral you out. Despite the fact that there are not many psychiatrist in the city taking new patients. It's taken me nearly a year to find one.

[techcafe]

03:04 PM on 09/29/2010

"shocked & saddened, heart of a poet, excellent student, shy and polite, our hearts go out to... blahblahblah"

such disingenuous tripe

if you people really did CARE, then you'd do something about the insidious GUN CULTURE that is ruining this country!

[Birdman72]

03:24 PM on 09/29/2010

His depression and suppressed rage was the real problem. He could have expressed it with a car, a bomb, a bat, a poison, a gas, a hammer, or...yes...even a gun.

[Volkmoidruk]

04:21 PM on 09/29/2010

...or give it up with more geeky guys?

[TomTyler]

03:00 PM on 09/29/2010

a question to all who post here who support gun bans and/or increased firearms restrictions: how many of you would be willing to post a "gun free zone" sign in front of your house?

or better yet, how would you feel if your neighbor placed a sign in his yard that stated, "the house next door is a gun-free zone: mine is NOT"

[ixington]

05:01 PM on 09/29/2010

..always thinking boogeymen are out to get you...Perhaps if firearms weren't ubiquitous, gun-toting bullies wouldn't possess the courage to commit the crimes you're so deathly afraid of (but have never actually happened to you or any of your loved ones).

[EGM80]

06:12 PM on 09/29/2010

I think the problem is that there is no way to clear our society of guns at this point as there are just too many out there. It'd be as stupid as banning I dunno, drugs.

[throwcautiontothewind]

08:35 PM on 09/30/2010

I'd be fine with that; I may just post a picture of a Doberman right under the sign.

[Cinnamonape]

02:52 PM on 09/29/2010

The "uncontrolled gun" crowd always ignore the earlier section of the Constitution that defines what an "organized militia" entails. They also fail to point out that the purpose of the militia is not to foment insurrection, but to suppress it.

"Congress shall have the power...To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, SUPPRESS Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress"

Clearly the militia is not to be used for VIOLATING the Laws of the Union (Federal Laws). Neither are they to be used to rise up against the State- but to defend it against foreign invasion and insurrections when called up by the Commander-In-Chief.

Disciplining the militias must entail some punishments that accrue if individuals or groups are in violation of the laws established by Congress. Thus membership in the militia can be denied where actions occur that might prevent the militia from performing its duties. Officers cannot lead a rabble...so registration of membership in the militia and training must occur under State-appointed officers.

[kb7834]

04:31 PM on 09/29/2010

I couldn't care less about what your pieces of paper say. The fact is I am going to carry a tool to protect myself regardless of what your pieces of paper say. I am not going to bet my life on the keystone cops to protect me, if you want to thats your choice.

[20yearnavyvet]

02:56 AM on 09/30/2010

Ah, so it's just a "piece of paper". So as it's just a piece of paper, then you wouldn't have any problem with the government making your "tool" illegal. They wouldn't be stepping on any of your "rights". As a matter of fact, as it's just a "piece of paper", you have no rights. And if the government made your "tool" illegal then I suppose you'd have to hide from all those people out there carrying signs that say things like, "What part of 'illegal' don't you understand?" or "Illegal means Illegal".

Right?

[kb7834]

04:38 PM on 09/29/2010

I couldn't care less about what your pieces of paper say. The fact is I am going to carry a tool to protect myself regardless of what your pieces of paper say. I am not going to bet my life on the keystone cops protecting me, if you want to thats your choice.

[throwcautiontothewind]

08:33 PM on 09/30/2010

I'm pretty sure the police and campus police response was MUCH more efficient than your response would have been (and I'm glad the UT students didn't need to fear your friendly fire).

[EricBlair84]

02:39 PM on 09/29/2010

All the reports indicate that the shooter was wearing a mask as he fired outside the library. Why doesn't this make any sense?

The act of wearing a ski mask is indicative of someone who wishes to conceal his identity to help him get get away with the crime, not someone who plans on committing suicide at the scene. In other words... the shooter probably planned on escaping, not taking his own life.

[Vernie31]

02:34 PM on 09/29/2010

quiet, intelligent and helpful." He was always so respectful and sweet." New details are emerging

[Vernie31]

02:32 PM on 09/29/2010

Some days it don't pay to get outta bed!

[Vernie31]

02:30 PM on 09/29/2010

Just because one is Intelligent and meticulous does not make Jack an unstable GUY!

[EricBlair84]

02:55 PM on 09/29/2010

Before yesterday, there was NO evidence of instability. No violent tendencies, no mental illness, no signs of depression.

[Vernie31]

03:01 PM on 09/29/2010

me thinks someone was not paying attention. A normal person of sound mind does not just wake up and decide to shoot up the place and eat one!

[Vernie31]

03:02 PM on 09/29/2010

Go away, boy, ya bother me!

[EricBlair84]

02:27 PM on 09/29/2010

"Randall Wilhite, an adjunct law professor at the university, said he was driving to class when he saw "students start scrambling behind wastebaskets, trees and monuments," and then a young man carrying an assault rifle sprinting along the street.

The professor said the gunman had the opportunity to shoot several students and Wilhite BUT HE DID NOT."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/28/AR2010092806299.html

The shooter wasn't a poor shot -- he intentionally avoided shooting anyone. Why?

[Cinnamonape]

02:54 PM on 09/29/2010

Maybe he had a specific target in mind and didn't want alerts to occur early...before he reached his "target"...a professor, class, or other student.

[kb7834]

04:43 PM on 09/29/2010

If this was the case, why would he start shooting before he reached his target. If he didn't want alerts to occur he wouldn't have gone around shooting near people and purposely not hitting them

[emerging pattern]

03:06 PM on 09/29/2010

Thanks for posting that -- That stood out to me, too.

Tooley obviously did not want to shoot others or we'd be reading about teh casualties. Needless to say, it is tragic that he did not reach out for help with the pain that moved him to act out on himself in such an extreme way.