Police: Student took LSD before campus shooting

Updated 3:48 PM ET

MOBILE, Ala. A nude University of South Alabama freshman had taken LSD and assaulted others before he chased the campus police officer who fatally shot him, authorities said Tuesday, though the student wasn't armed.

Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran said at a news conference that 18-year-old Gil Collar took the drug during a music festival Saturday before assaulting two people in vehicles and attempting to bite a woman's arm.

Authorities said Collar then went to the campus police headquarters, where he was shot by university police officer Trevis Austin. Austin is on leave while investigators review the shooting.

• Gil Collar Shooting: Naked University of South Alabama student killed by officer

Video taken by a surveillance camera showed Collar nude and covered in sweat as he pursued the retreating officer more than 50 feet outside the building, Cochran said. Collar got within 5 feet of Austin and the officer fired once, striking the student in the chest, Cochran said.

Cochran said Austin came out of police headquarters with his gun drawn after he heard Collar — a 5-foot-7, 135-pound former high school wrestler — banging on a door. While campus police typically carry pepper spray and a baton, Cochran said Austin was armed only with a gun during the confrontation.

The sheriff said it was unclear whether the officer could have avoided shooting even if he had a non-lethal weapon to subdue the student.

"Had the officer had a Taser or some other less lethal instrument I don't know if that officer would have had an opportunity to shoulder his pistol and to use something else because the events were evolving so rapidly and he was approaching so close," said Cochran.

Cochran said he had "serious concerns" about the killing of an unarmed student when he first heard what had happened, but he better understood the officer's decision to open fire after watching the videotape of the shooting.

"It's very powerful," said Cochran.

Investigators are trying to determine who provided Collar with LSD and could charge that person with murder, Cochran said. Cochran said the information about Collar's drug use came from people who were with him at the concert.

The New York-based American Council on Drug Education said LSD, also known as acid, can cause acute anxiety, panic, paranoia, psychotic behavior and an inability to recognize danger. Effects can last for hours, according to the group's website.

Cochran said authorities will allow Collar's family and media representatives to view the recording later, but it will not be released publicly.

Collar graduated earlier this year from Wetumpka High School, where a vigil planned in remembrance of the longtime prep wrestler will be held Tuesday night.

[TaterGumfries]

Layin 2/1 odds that he didn't take LSD.

[spenthan]

I am usually a law and order voter and most times side with the police force but all officers should now carry pepper spray or other non lethal weapons to subdue unarmed people acting erratically. For a cop to only carry lethal forms of force tells me this officer wants to use his firearm when given the chance. I am a conservative but not an advocate of wanton violence by police.

[xbins00]

This story is crap and should be removed. The tox reort will come back saying he wasnt on lsd but no on will report on it and you mindless drones will continue to believe that lsd is an evil drug that causes people to go insane. Only low intelligence people Bellevue in old urban legends like this.

[xbins00]

This story is crap and should be removed. The tox reort will come back saying he wasnt on lsd but no on will report on it and you mindless drones will continue to believe that lsd is an evil drug that causes people to go insane. Only low intelligence people Bellevue in old urban legends like this.

[In2theDark]

There was no reason to shoot to kill this individual. They could have shot him in the leg or something to try and stop him. Why didn't they call for backup or the local police to try and subdue him.

[rubberrezi]

The cop still didn't have to kill him. What about backup? What about just punching it out with the kid?

Cops use to use restraint and try to defuse these types of situations. Now they just shoot first and have their "police commission" composed of their buddies "justify" the shooting.

This is how the Gestapo started!

[caljack430]

This is why... for those who choose to do these kinds of drugs... it is HIGHLY recommended that you have a 'babysitter', or a sober person to keep an eye on everyone under the influence. So this has at least a lesser chance of happening. I'm guessing all his friends were also blitzed and either off somewhere else or cheering him on.

Moral of the story: don't do drugs kiddies.