KVUE has learned more about the gunman in Tuesday's University of Texas shooting , 19-year-old Colton Tooley.
Tooley lived in South Austin with his parents.
He graduated seventh in his class at Crockett High School in 2009. The UT sophomore was a math major in the School of Natural Sciences.
At 6 p.m. Tuesday, UT officers were inside Tooley's home on Western Drive talking with his parents to see if they could shed some light as to why a promising student would take an AK-47 onto campus, go into the Perry-Castaneda Library, and end his life.
Austin police spent hours searching the Tooley home. They did remove some items, but are not saying what they seized during their search.
Neighbors KVUE spoke with did not want to go on camera, but they say the family was friendly, and had never caused any problems.
Josh Painting had no idea Tooley lived so close to his home and says it was a bit unnerving for him to come across the scene.
"I was actually on a walk around the neighborhood with my kid and my friend texted me that, 'Hey, it was on Western," and I was like, 'I'm walking up on Western now,' and I turned the corner and there was everything," Painting said.
AISD has confirmed Tooley was a graduate of Crockett High School. Principal Craig Shapiro released the following statement:
"All of us in the Crockett High School community are shocked and saddened by today’s tragedy at the University of Texas. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Colton Tooley.
Colton, a 2009 Crockett graduate, was an excellent student, who excelled in every subject, and was ranked 7th in his class. His teachers recall him with words such as “brilliant,” “meticulous,” and “respectful.”
Crockett High School will have additional counselors on campus, beginning Wednesday, to assist students and staff who request their services."
Officers say they are not sure how long the cul de sac will be cordoned off, and no word yet if Tooley's parents may have provided any insight into why he brought such violence to the UT campus.
