by SHELTON GREEN / KVUE News
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kvue.com
Posted on September 28, 2010 at 9:42 PM
Updated
Wednesday, Sep 29 at 11:34 AM
Austin Police and detectives with the University of Texas interviewed family members of 19-year-old Colton Tooley trying to figure out what led him to bring an AK-47 on to the UT campus Tuesday morning, firing it into the air before taking his own life. Meanwhile, other relatives were trying to make sense of the tragedy.
Tooley's cousin, who would only give his first name, Marcus, read a prepared statement to journalists Tuesday evening as detectives were wrapping up their investigation at the home of Tooley's parents in south Austin.
"This is a great shock to me and our family as well as it is to everyone else. There was nothing prior to this day, nothing that would lead any of us to believe that this would take place. No signs at all, whatsoever," said Marcus.
Before Tooley was a Math major at UT he was a stand-out student at Crockett High School, according to the Austin Independent School District. The principal told KVUE Tooley ranked seventh in his high school graduating class and was described by teachers as "brilliant, meticulous and respectful." Those descriptions were echoed by his cousin Marcus.
"Instead of speaking on how he died, I want you to understand how he lived. He was a very smart guy, very intelligent; excellent student that couldn't nor wouldn't hurt a fly. If he was depressed you would never know it, because he never usually expressed his emotions," added Marcus.
Tuesday evening there were a few students milling around campus. However, buildings remained locked because all classes were canceled at UT on Tuesday.
UT officials say classes will resume on Wednesday as scheduled.
