EPISODE 168
Sniper in the Tower:
1966 Austin Clock Tower Shooting
Back in the 1960s a former Marine took the high ground in one of the first and deadliest school shootings in American history. This watershed event was part of the discussion that brought the idea of a SWAT team to the national stage and arguably brought momentum to what some now consider to be the militarization of the police. We talk about counter-ambush tactics, cover or suppressive fire in law enforcement, tactical medicine, and more.
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/university-of-texas-tower-shooting-1966
https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2016/09/03/ut-tower-shooting-claims-one-more-life/10008498007/
Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You can join the conversation in our Facebook Discussion Group.
Find all of our episodes, articles, some reading list ideas, and more on our website www.tacticaltangents.com
Like what we’re doing? Head over to Patreon and give us a buck for each new episode. You can also make a one-time contribution at GoFundMe.
Intro music credit Bensound.com
CLICK BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE NOW ON YOUR FAVORITE PLAYER
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! PLEASE GO CHECK THEM OUT
Recent Episodes
Closing the Gaps: Building Competence in High Performing-Teams
In high-stakes professions, the things you don’t see can hurt you. In this episode, Mike and Jim break down how gaps and blind spots develop in training, operations, and leadership—often without anyone realizing it. They dive into cognitive load, skill decay, mismatched expectations, and why even good training pipelines struggle to produce consistent results.
Do You Trust Me? Credibility is Currency
Leadership isn’t just about direction—it’s about belief. In this episode, Mike and Jim unpack how credibility shapes a leader’s ability to influence decisions, maintain team cohesion, and drive mission success. Drawing from research, philosophy, and operational experience, they outline the behaviors that strengthen trust and the missteps that erode it.