Police: Student took LSD before campus shooting
by MELISSA NELSON-GABRIEL,Associated Press
Oct 09, 2012 | 7612 views | 4 4 comments | 8 8 recommendations | email to a friend | print
This undated Collar family photo shows University of South Alabama freshman Gil Collar, 18, who was shot to death by a campus police officer on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Collar Family)
This undated Collar family photo shows University of South Alabama freshman Gil Collar, 18, who was shot to death by a campus police officer on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Collar Family)
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MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — A University of South Alabama freshman wasn't armed when he was fatally shot by a campus police officer, authorities said Tuesday, and he had taken LSD, assaulted others and chased the officer before being killed.

Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran held a news conference to release details about the death of Gil Collar, 18, of Wetumpka. The nude student was fatally wounded early Saturday after confronting the officer on campus.

Collar went to a music festival and took the drug before assaulting two people in vehicles and attempting to bite a woman's arm, Cochran said.

Authorities said Collar then went to the campus police headquarters, where he was shot by university police officer Trevis Austin. Austin is on leave while investigators review the shooting.

Video taken by a surveillance camera showed Collar nude and covered in sweat as he pursued the retreating officer more than 50 feet outside the building, Cochran said. Collar got within 5 feet of Austin and the officer fired once, striking the student in the chest, Cochran said.

Investigators are trying to determine who provided Collar with LSD and could charge that person with murder, Cochran said.

While campus police typically carry pepper spray and a baton, Cochran said Austin was armed only with a gun during the confrontation.

Cochran said he had "serious concerns" about the killing of an unarmed student when he first heard what had happened, but he better understood the officer's decision to open fire after watching the videotape of the shooting.

"It's very powerful," said Cochran.

Cochran said authorities will allow Collar's family and media representatives to view the recording later, but it will not be released publicly.

Collar graduated earlier this year from Wetumpka High School, where a vigil planned in remembrance of the longtime prep wrestler will be held Tuesday night.
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Enforcer
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October 11, 2012
Tragic that the young man lost his life. Do not be so quick to judge the officer though. The report clearly said that the officers only weapon was a firearm. When a person is on LSD they have uncontrollable strength and feel no pain. If you have ever been attacked by a person on LSD and survived you are lucky. A young man on LSD that has years of wrestling experience is a dangerous person.
Dataraven
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October 09, 2012
No, sorry, campus cops don't get to murder people because they are naked and doped out of their minds. It's not the guy who sold him the LSD its not the people who made the LSD it's not even his fault.

COPS SHOULD NOT MURDER UNARMED PEOPLE!

wish2010
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October 09, 2012
Yes, sorry, campus cops can and should kill people who are naked, doped out of their minds and attacking the cop or whomever and putting them in fear for their life. Don't judge the police officer until you've stood (or ran as the case may be) in his shoes.

JUST SAYIN'!!!
dbeall
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October 09, 2012
You're right. The cop should have done nothing and allowed the student to disarm him and get shot. Better yet he should have run away and allowed him to get hit by a car or train or cause someone else to be hurt.

Murder is a pre-meditated illegal taking of life. This was a self-defense shooting. The young man made a choice to assign control of his actions to a hit of acid. His death was of his own doing; tragic as it may be.
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