The tragic death of University of South Alabama student may slowly be sinking in, but the mother and friends are upset over the way campus officials handled the issue which resulted in the freshman's death.
In the wee hours on Saturday, 18-year-old Gilbert Thomas Collar from Wetumpka, Alabama, was shot in the chest for challenging a campus police officer. He was not wearing any clothes and apparently, was not armed.
"He was wearing no clothes and he was obviously not in his right mind," Collar's mother Bonnie Collar said to CNN.
"Obviously he was not armed. He was completely naked."
According to the statement issued by the university, the police officer 'was confronted by a muscular, nude man who was acting erratically. The man repeatedly rushed and verbally challenged the officer in a fighting stance.'
Bonnie Collar has no idea why his son was acting erratically. But, the question still remains why there were no means other than using a firearm to restrain the young man.
Collar said her son was 5-foot-7 and weighed 135 pounds. He was a high school wrestler for six years in his hometown and had recently joined the university.
The same thoughts were echoed across the campus, with students disapproving the methods used in attempt to control Gil Collar.
Sophomore Tyler Kendrik told The Associated Press:
"Really, it just upsets me that there's no other way to apprehend an unarmed student rather than shooting him. I don't understand that."
"He was a great, loving guy who always made people smile," reminisced Colgan Meanor, who went to high school with Collar and then enrolled at the same college.
The row between the officer and Collar has reportedly been captured by the security cameras. College authorities say the footage has been handed over to District Attorney and the Mobile County Sheriff's Office to go over the recording.
