Special weapons and tactics (SWAT) originated in the mid-1960s after
several sniping incidents against civilians and police officers
nationwide, particularly in Los Angeles during and after the Watts
Riots. But on August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman changed the face of police
tactics forever, when he randomly killed dozens of people using a
high-powered rifle from atop the University of Texas clock tower. We
explore the origins, tools, and dramatic stories of LA, Austin, and St.
Louis SWAT units.