Baby Boy Wilson, an unborn child, tragically died on August 1, 1966, in Austin, Texas. His mother, Claire Wilson, was eight months pregnant when she was shot in the stomach by Charles Whitman, a 25-year-old former Marine, from his perch on the University of Texas at Austin tower. The bullet killed Baby Boy Wilson, and Claire survived but was hospitalized for over three months.
Thomas Eckman, Claire's boyfriend, was also shot and killed by Whitman in the same incident.
Charles Whitman went on a shooting rampage that day, killing a total of 16 people, including his wife and mother, before he was eventually killed by police officers. More than 30 people were injured in the attack. The incident is known as the University of Texas tower shooting and remains one of the deadliest mass shootings by a lone gunman in U.S. history.
Claire Wilson later learned that her baby's body had been buried, but she did not receive confirmation of this until almost five decades later. In June 2014, a headstone was placed on Baby Boy Wilson's previously unmarked grave in Austin Memorial Park Cemetery. The headstone was installed thanks to the efforts of Gary Lavergne, author of "A Sniper in the Tower," who discovered the burial site and helped the family purchase the headstone.
The tragic death of Baby Boy Wilson and the events of that day left a lasting impact on the community and highlighted the devastating consequences of gun violence. The University of Texas tower shooting remains a somber reminder of the importance of addressing mental health issues and preventing such tragedies in the future.
