Roy Dell Henry Schmidt, a 29-year-old male of Caucasian ethnicity, was an electrician for the City of Austin. He was born on September 18, 1936, in Manor, Texas, and was married to Nancy Rose Schmidt, with whom he had a daughter named Kimberly Dawn Schmidt. On August 1, 1966, Schmidt tragically lost his life in a mass shooting carried out by Charles Joseph Whitman from the University of Texas's Administrative Tower.
Schmidt was one of the 14 people killed and 32 others wounded in
Whitman's rampage. The incident began around 11:48 AM when Whitman started firing from the tower, and Schmidt was among the victims who were caught in the crossfire. The shooting lasted for over an hour, and Schmidt was pronounced dead at Brackenridge Hospital later that day.
The aftermath of the shooting led to a significant investigation, but no arrests or litigation were pursued against any suspects other than Whitman himself. Charles Joseph Whitman was ultimately identified as the sole perpetrator of the crime. He was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the attack. The investigation concluded that Whitman had been suffering from mental health issues, which led to his violent outburst.
The tragic death of Roy Dell Henry Schmidt is remembered as part of one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history, and his story is honored among the many victims of that fateful day.
