Naked freshman shot to death by campus police officer at University of South Alabama

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A campus police officer at the University of South Alabama on Saturday shot and killed a naked freshman who repeatedly chased, threatened and rushed him, a university spokesman said.

Gilbert Thomas Collar, 18, died from a single bullet wound to the chest, spokesman Keith Ayres said.

Collar was ordered several times to halt and continued to challenge the officer even after being shot, Ayres said. He died at the scene.


The incident began shortly before 1:30 a.m. when the officer heard loud banging on the window of the campus police station. He drew his gun after finding the student in a fighting stance, according to Ayres.

The officer tried to calm Collar and retreated several times before shooting him, he said.

The spokesman declined to speculate on whether Collar was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. An autopsy is likely, he said.

The officer has been placed on paid administrative leave, Ayres added.

The University of South Alabama is in Mobile and serves 15,000 students. 

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Did the police forget about tasers and pepper spray?

Whatever happened to a good old whack on the head with a club?

  • 2 votes
Reply#56 - Sat Oct 6, 2012 11:52 PM EDT

Dropkickbanana

While I do agree this kid should have been taken down, I don't think it necessary he be killed. I think a well placed shot in the thigh or the shoulder would be enough to reconsider another go at it. I thought these school cops had tasers anyway?

I have read many stories about people wasted on some sort of drug where cops would wound or taser them and they completely ignore both. I saw a video of a guy wasted on these bath salts what ever they really are, and he was on a bike and wrecked trying to escape police. He suffered compound fractures to both bones in both his fore arms and fought the police for several minutes despite those brutal injuries. So from what ive seen and read sometimes not even crippling injuries can stop people wasted on drugs.

    Reply#57 - Sat Oct 6, 2012 11:52 PM EDT

    if you use a good taser right if the criminal or the attacker doesn't stop their heart will pretty much explode or stop so at least they tried not to kill the nutjob but to shoot the kid in the chest come on man

      #57.1 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:41 AM EDT
      Reply

      Tyrone E.

      These shootings by police are getting out of control. What ever happened to the days when law enforcement used tasers instead of deadly force? I don't understand why a person would take the life of another, unless it was absolutely necessary.

      What ever happened to growing a brain and not threaten physical violence on someone who is most definitely armed with a gun?

        Reply#58 - Sat Oct 6, 2012 11:54 PM EDT

        I will, and I hope others will, ignore your thoughtless stupidity. You have no clue as to the young man's mental state at that time. Therefore, you shouldn't suggest how he should have behaved.

        • 1 vote
        #58.1 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:00 AM EDT

        And you shouldn't suggest how the cop should have behaved since you weren't there

          #58.2 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:24 AM EDT

          HOG WASH its called training and discretion he should have called for back up and the loony wagon you DOLT good thing you ain't a cop you would be tried for murder or at the least manslaughter go back to bed Moe moe

          • 1 vote
          #58.3 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:37 AM EDT

          you are very correct

            #58.4 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:38 AM EDT

            Not tired...

              #58.5 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:48 AM EDT
              Reply

              I fully understand that the guy was wanting to fight the cop, but why do cops always aim to kill? Shoot him in his arm or leg and sub due him. Who knows why this guy was acting like this, I doubt he did all the time or he wouldnt of gotten into college.

              • 1 vote
              Reply#59 - Sat Oct 6, 2012 11:55 PM EDT

              I bet Holmes didn't act like that all the time either!

                #59.1 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 8:25 AM EDT
                Reply

                Now some of us regular folks are starting to understand why NWA would write a song like "F the Police" or Ice T's "Cop Killer". Who do they really protect? Most people are already the victim by the time the police arrive. One must protect themselves/family. Police even make things worse sometimes. Look at NY where the gunman killed one and the police shot about 10 innocent people or when they have the wrong house and kill someone that had nothing to do with anything. The worse cases are like in Florida where they pepper sprayed a man (Nick Christie) to death after they stripped him naked and tied him to a chair.

                • 1 vote
                Reply#60 - Sat Oct 6, 2012 11:56 PM EDT

                Where can I read those articles, do you have the links or are you just making up stories about things you may or may not have read

                  #60.1 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:03 AM EDT

                  Look up: tried to post links did not work.

                  • Nick Christie (Florida)
                  • Andrew Lee Scott (Florida)
                  • Ny York cops shoot nine

                  This is just a few.

                    #60.2 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:12 AM EDT
                    Reply

                    time to lower childhood from 21 to 18

                      Reply#61 - Sat Oct 6, 2012 11:57 PM EDT

                      Felicia R Faulkner: Subdue is one word. It is not two words. That really cracked me up.

                        Reply#62 - Sat Oct 6, 2012 11:58 PM EDT

                        Even not knowing the full extent of what happened and having only a rough recounting of the situation I think it's clear the campus police officer did a public service.

                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#63 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:01 AM EDT

                        reminds me of that kony 2012 guy going mad in san diego (except he wasn't shot in the chest by a cop). Mobile Alabama isn't a place where a cop will second guess his judgement to shoot, college campus or not.

                          Reply#64 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:02 AM EDT

                          I think one to the thigh would have been sufficient. I mean what? The kid was going to attack the cop with his dick? Cops these days use lethal force for the hell of it.

                          • 1 vote
                          Reply#65 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:04 AM EDT

                          hey these day you never know what them young ones are packing down there it mustah been big if the poor little cop was so scared or maybe he remembers what his uncle did to him when younger you never know

                            #65.1 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:31 AM EDT

                            hell I am sure at least or too the knee that way he would never forget limping through life never mess with punk cops never ever no need for a tattoo to remind him crazy or not I am sure he would never forget that one.

                            but to shoot the kid come on in the chest jeesas I am sure he bleed out slowly and kinda just croaked his last breath nasty anyway you look at it

                            • 1 vote
                            #65.2 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:34 AM EDT
                            Reply

                            Here is a thought, I find it ridculous. Ya know always the cops say that they feel threatened, an dfear for their lives. So that gives them the excuse to use deadly force. yeh the guy was screwd up and naked can he really hurt the cop i dont think so. Why didnt the cop call for back up? So many times I have heard of the cops using deadly force and over kill. here is somthing that happened to me about 30 years ago. I was about 26 then there was a guy younger than me and he left a message on my message machine. the message was he was going to kill me. I knew his voice and new who the guy was. So I took the tape to the sheriff office, and get this a sergeant at the time took the information down and told me if something happened to me they would have eveidemce on the guy. Well that made me feel good. Another time I was going working at a gorcery store, and there was a styock boy there who took something of mine. So i left a note for him said im going to kill hiim and put it on his apron. Well he tolsd the manage ment and I got in trouble. So about few weeks later, I took this one gals pricing gun to mark some items.So what does she do to me leaves a note on my apron says she is going to kill me. Well i took the note and told management and guess what they said, she didnt mean it, and look at the size of you compared to her. So I say this was that justice or not. Since 9-11 everybody is so paranoid anything you say is aterrorist threat, and ya go to jail.. what is amazing that certain people use the laws and turn them around to benefit them. The cop hjere should have used better discretion, I dont think it as self defense either. there could have been a better way out for both!!!

                              Reply#66 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:05 AM EDT

                              It would be great if it were a perfict world, however ..... Tasers and cs (riot control agents) have little and sometimes no effect on people doped to the gills. Wehether it be pcp, bath salts or lsd, batons are not somthing you can use on someone that may not be able to feel pain.this was demonstrated to be true when the kid did not stopping when he had already been shot in the chest. This brings us to the other comment of "leg shot" that some of you were throwing around. The only way for a leg shot to be demobilizing is to hit the bone which generally causes it to shatter and rupture main artries. This is just as bad as a hit to the chest for the suspect will bleed out within the time it takes for an ambulance to get there. As for the danger to the officer it is true that people on these type of drugs can have almost super human strength. I have seen video footage of six big cops strugling with all they had to get cuffs on a single man doped on pcp. The threat to the officer was real. However there are angencys that have extended training to deal with people in psycotic and mentaly impared states. The name of this organization is N.A.M.I. and where it is not possable for all policing agencys to afford this training, most of you who wish to see real change in the way the police handle circumstances like this, may wish to sponser a department. After all real change starts with positive action.

                              I am sorry to hear for his familys loss and hope some good may come from this!

                                Reply#67 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:08 AM EDT

                                hog wash I dare to take anything you want and Ill taze you and if you don't stop attacking your heart will explode enough said have a great Delusional life pal

                                  #67.1 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:28 AM EDT

                                  How about using a net? Isn't that what is normally done when dealing with people who appear to be crazy? There are many, many alternatives to the use of deadly force. It was the policeman who was way out of control.

                                  • 1 vote
                                  #67.2 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:30 AM EDT
                                  Reply

                                  Take the police's guns away.

                                  • 1 vote
                                  Reply#68 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:10 AM EDT

                                  Well, at least the suspect was "collared".

                                    Reply#69 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:15 AM EDT

                                    If the drugs don't kill you someone else might! I pray he wasn't on drugs but this doesn't sound too good for someone 18 years old and naked/out of control.

                                      Reply#70 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:19 AM EDT

                                      There is absolutely no reason to use deadly force against a naked unarmed man. This police office should be charged with man slaughter and definitely be prohibited from every owning a gun again.

                                        Reply#71 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:23 AM EDT

                                        Really because you were there. Because a drugged out college student who was shot and still advancing could not wrestle the gun from the cop. Because you have all the facts and the rest of us are stupid. Really...

                                          #71.1 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:25 AM EDT

                                          here here

                                            #71.2 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:27 AM EDT

                                            Wait wait wait Scott, did you just get all high and mighty about assumptions Pete made when you just accused the college student of being drugged out with no proof what-so-ever? Do you have all the facts?

                                            • 2 votes
                                            #71.3 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:43 AM EDT

                                            Nope, not high and mighty, just making an educated guess, but you are correct, I do not have all the facts. But the facts I do have seem to indicate that there was some sort of problem, chemical or mental...either can have deadly repercussions. Sorry for the assumption, I should have noted that in my post I was speculating. my bad

                                              #71.4 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:51 AM EDT
                                              Reply

                                              wow what a pack of sick puppies on the vine tonight reading just a few of the comments

                                              but I have to ask what punk azz cop doesnt have a tazer they love to watch them twitch about when they daze them what gives with shooting the poor little kid that was running around psycho and naked he should have retreated into his patrol car and called for backup and the loony wagon to handle this messed up CHILD so can you say MURDERER I knew you could the cop can't t excuse his actions just because a punk naked kid was bullying him and on DOPE or salts or whatever come on now can we have a collective um maybe he should have used a little less force and a few more brain cells than um oh gee I am scared of the naked kid and he is mean Immma gunna shoot and ask questions later Umm DAHHHHH what a Moron..... fire the piece of crap before he kills one of your kids Inexcusable is all I can say ...................................... Semper Fi

                                                Reply#72 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:25 AM EDT

                                                If you were really a marine, your post would make more sense, but from what I can gather you were not at the scene. Why are people saying the cop should retreat. If you read the article, which is unlikely, you would see he did retreat and tried to talk down the aggressor. Even after being shot he continued to advance and challenge. The naked person was the aggressor, was obviously a threat to not just the cop but anyone else who may have happened on the scene. If the cop would have retreated to the safety of his building, he would have failed in his duty and could have endangered the general populace. Get it?

                                                  #72.1 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:32 AM EDT

                                                  We weren't at the scene, and neither were you, Scott.

                                                  The point being made here is that instead of throwing rose petals at the campus police and wrapping ourselves in the flag after they pulled the trigger and slayed an unarmed young man, just maybe there was a more humanist approach.

                                                  Something for us to ponder -- putting aside our collective self-righteousness -- when they lay him in the ground.

                                                  Got it?

                                                    #72.2 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 1:00 AM EDT

                                                    No I don't get it. Would it be better if the cop just left the scene and this guy killed someone. Would that be ok? I am not throwing rose petals or wrapping myself in anything, I am just stating that the facts as presented show a hostile person who would not even retreat or surrender when shot. If those facts can be refuted then I will certainly expect the justice system to act to the utmost...Got it?

                                                    • 1 vote
                                                    #72.3 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 1:37 AM EDT
                                                    Reply

                                                    This righteous cop: yet another example of America's finest. I hope the day will soon come when his family and loved ones will be made to feel just the same as those of this needlessly murdered student....

                                                    • 1 vote
                                                    Reply#73 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:27 AM EDT

                                                    Your life is shaped by the choices you make no matter how small or large they seem at the time. Poor choices yield bad results. Probably was a nice kid with a lot going for him. Make a bad choice and suffer bad consequences.

                                                      Reply#74 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:30 AM EDT

                                                      Maybe the naked kid was "heavily armed", and intimidated the cop with the semi-auto pistol? Jealousy?

                                                        Reply#75 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:32 AM EDT

                                                        I don't see why the cop couldn't go back inside..and call for some back up.

                                                        There is no way it was necessary to shoot an unarmed student.

                                                        • 1 vote
                                                        Reply#76 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:35 AM EDT

                                                        Right. Then when the naked guy raped someone to death or chewed someone's face off you'd be complaining about the cowardly cop who didn't apprehend the dangerous naked psycho when he had the chance.

                                                        Stories like these make me feel sorry for cops. D- if you do and d- if you don't. IMHO at least the cop did the right thing.

                                                          #76.1 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 1:51 AM EDT
                                                          Reply

                                                          @ general comments

                                                          Shot and killed a "NAKED"man wow was he a threat! Someone going to tell me that a few more cops couldn't have taken him down peacefully without killing him? You know backup. WTF people are we going to just shoot everyone who looks like a threat without thinking about a peacefull ending, what is happening to America? GUNS are NOT supposed to solve every altercation. If this was your kid you'd be screaming bloody murder, which it was, murder.

                                                          • 2 votes
                                                          Reply#77 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:37 AM EDT

                                                          Taser or mace not working that night?

                                                          • 1 vote
                                                          Reply#78 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:43 AM EDT

                                                          Southern Justice strikes again. Jesus and a gun, and weez gonna make all ya'll tow the line

                                                            Reply#79 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:45 AM EDT

                                                            Why would you even bring JESUS into the conversation other than to try and stir up stupid comments??

                                                              #79.1 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:52 AM EDT
                                                              Reply

                                                              You have to wonder if the fact that he was naked kept this campus cop from restraining him?

                                                              Sad, very sad that the officer, inside the campus police station, not suddenly confronted on rounds, but within the safety of the office. Could only think of going outside and when possibly unable to control the situation could only think of shooting this guy.

                                                              Not at all defending this guys behavior but think about drunk and disorderly, pretty much matching the facts described here, and instead of a night in jail you go to the morgue instead. Not knowing if there are more facts but from these facts I can't imagine this campus cop couldn't have done something different.

                                                              Just thinking of the many times I have seen or known someone get beligerant with the police. How tragic an end for such a foolish act, that I am sure has happened in many peoples lives, maybe not naked, but just as foolish. Acting in some defiant manner to the authority, that they were embarassed and sorry for their uncharacteristic behavior the next day, but not if they meet this campus cop.

                                                              • 1 vote
                                                              Reply#80 - Sun Oct 7, 2012 12:45 AM EDT
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