Houston McCoy: Officer who ended UT sniper rampage (1940-2012)

12/28/12 By Paul Weber

The Austin, TX, police officer who stopped Charles Whitman’s 1966 University of Texas shooting spree has died at 72.

Bravery acknowledged: Retired Austin police officer Houston McCoy, left, poses with police chief Art Acevedo. Houston, who stopped Charles Whitman’s 1966 shooting spree, died Thursday. IMAGE

AP Photo: File

AUSTIN, TX – The Austin police officer who helped stop Charles Whitman's 1966 sniper rampage from atop the University of Texas tower has died.

Officer Houston McCoy fired two blasts from his shotgun to bring down Whitman, who killed 16 people during nearly two hours of terror on the UT campus. Wayne Vincent, president of the Austin Police Association, said McCoy died Thursday in the rural West Texas town of Menard.

McCoy was 72 and had been battling a terminal illness for the past year.

Whitman wounded dozens of others before McCoy and fellow officer Ramiro Martinez made their way to the observation deck. Martinez also fired on Whitman.

Vincent called McCoy a good police officer who "answered the call" unsure whether he would live upon reaching the top of the tower.

-----

MSN News on Facebook and Twitter
Stay up to date on breaking news and current events.
Friend us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/news.msn
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/msnnews

O.J. Simpson was back in court recently to try to overturn a 2008 armed robbery conviction. Here are other famous people who have spent time behind bars.