Masked shooter suspected to be student opened fire in main library
Masked shooter suspected to be student opened fire in main library The University of Texas-Austin campus was closed yesterday after a man dressed in black and carrying an AK-47 fired several shots and then killed himself in the Perry-Castaneda library.
Police said the gunman was dead, and EMS personnel said no one else was being treated for injuries.
"The shooter is dead on the sixth floor of Perry-Castaneda Library," Don Hale, a spokesman said.
UT-Austin Police Chief Robert Dahlstrom said police were searching for a possible second gunman because witnesses' descriptions varied. Authorities said the search was being done as a precaution.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said SWAT teams, police and bomb-sniffing dogs were working to ensure that there were no explosives. He said the area would not be opened for several hours.
Emergency sirens continued to go off throughout the morning.
Randall Wilhite, a UT professor, said, "He ran right in front of my car, fired two or three shots south sort of generally in my direction but not at me."
Several students also reported coming face-to-face with the gunman.
In a message to UT students, Powers said that "the university is locked down. All organised classes for today, are cancelled. If you are off campus, stay away. If you are on campus, lock your doors and do not leave your building."
