Officer who stopped UT sniper to be laid to rest

Funeral to be held for Houston McCoy, officer who stopped 1966 sniper rampage at UT

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Published On: Jan 03 2013 02:01:31 PM CST

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — An Austin police officer who helped stop Charles Whitman's 1966 sniper rampage from atop the University of Texas clock tower is set to be laid to rest.

Austin police say the funeral for Houston McCoy will be held Thursday afternoon in the rural West Texas town of Menard. A graveside service with police honors will follow.

McCoy died at age 72 on Dec. 27.

He fired two blasts from his shotgun to bring down Whitman, who killed 16 people on Aug. 1, 1966. Whitman wounded dozens of others before McCoy and fellow officer Ramiro Martinez made their way to the tower's observation deck. Martinez also fired on Whitman.

Whitman was a Texas student and former Marine when he opened fire on the campus.

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