Police say naked student was on LSD when shot, killed

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 and didn’t touch the officer.

Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran said at a news conference that 18-year-old Gil Collar took the potent hallucinogen 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.

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.

An attorney for Collar’s family questioned why the officer wasn’t able to use nonfatal means to subdue him.

“Obviously something caused him to act in manner that was somewhat unusual. It still does not justify shooting him down unless there is something we totally missed,” said former Lt. Gov. Jere Beasley, who’s representing the family.