Charles Joseph Whitman ( born June 24 , 1941 in Lake Worth , Florida â `` died August 1 , 1966 in Austin , Texas ) was a ex-marine and student who is best known for committing the Tower shooting at the University of Texas at Austin on August 1 , 1966 where he killed 14 people and wounded 32 others . Charles Joseph Whitman ( June 24 , 1941 â `` August 1 , 1966 ) was a student at the University of Texas at Austin and a former Marine who killed 16 people and wounded 32 others during a shooting rampage on and around the university 's campus on Aug. 1 , 1966 .