It’s August 1, 1966, a hot summer day in Austin, Texas. Not that many people are on the University of Texas campus, except the students enrolled in summer classes. As Monday morning classes start, a 25-year-old former Marine has just killed his wife and mother. He packs the trunk of his car with seven guns and enough supplies to last him days. Then he drives to campus.

Episode 1: 'A typical summer' | The UT Tower Sniper

On August 1, 1966, a sniper climbed the steps of the University of Texas at Austin’s 27-story tower. Seventeen people were killed and more than 30 others were injured. Fifty-six years later, mass shootings make headlines nearly every week. And the University of Texas tower looms over campus, a reminder of one of the first mass school shootings in United States history that has long been forgotten.

In season four of “Darkness,” host Sara Kinney walks through the day of the University of Texas Tower shooting and outlines its legacy among the decades-long epidemic of gun violence in schools. Hear from survivors, heroes and family members about their day in 1966, their lives since then and the state of gun control today.

True crime

Introducing a new series from The Drag: "Forsaken." "Forsaken" is a series that explores the systems that both enhance and oppress the lives of the more than 29 million people living in Texas. Each episode will address issues that Texans face each day – the good and the bad. We’ll explore the criminal justice system, Texas politics, civil rights, social issues and even a little bit of history. Texas is the second-most diverse state in the nation and has equally diverse stories to tell. As the legendary late Texas singer Billy Joe Shaver sings: “You fathers and you mothers / Be good to one another / Please try to raise your children right / Don’t let the darkness take ‘em / Don’t make ‘em feel forsaken / Just lead ‘em safely to the light.” The first two episodes of "Forsaken" drop Thursday, March 7. Follow "Forsaken" on:   Apple Podcasts Spotify Or your favorite podcasting app! 

Introducing 'Forsaken'

Fifty years after the shooting, survivors, heroes and their families return to Austin. A committee pushes for a better memorial for the victims. Some testify at the Texas Legislature, trying to stop a law allowing guns on campuses.

Episode 9: 'These people need closure' | The UT Tower Sniper

College students discuss their experiences growing up with school shooting drills and the constant fear of a shooter. Host Sara Kinney and a March for Our Lives representative go over the state of gun legislation today.

Bonus: 'Can you feel safe anywhere?' | The UT Tower Sniper

Forty-four years after the Tower shootings, another shooting occurs on the University of Texas campus. Survivors continue their lives while gun violence grows as a hot-button political issue. The physical wounds begin to heal, but the emotional ones remain. 

Episode 8: 'It's a bleak part of our existence' | The UT Tower Sniper

The shooting becomes national news. Students return to classes a few days later. Law enforcement continues its investigation. An autopsy is performed on the sniper. A police officer is laid to rest. Victims start their road to recovery. 

Episode 1: 'A typical summer' | The UT Tower Sniper

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