Spring Break
WIU's deadly decade
Sarah Zavala
Issue date: 10/30/09 Section: News
The 1970s were a time when disco was king, bell bottoms were hip and death came to Western Illinois University.
During the 1970s a number of strange fatalities occured on the Western campus. For example, Tuesday, March 1, 1972 there was a shooting in Seal Hall resulting in a Western student charged with voluntary manslaughter.
Clyde R. Johnson, 24, a Western freshman, was charged with voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Steven Wayne Hyde, 19, also a Western freshman.
The shooting occurred on the third floor of Seal Hall. University police discovered Hyde face down in the stairwell between the first floor and ground floor of the east wing. Johnson was found lying on his back on the third floor. The cause of the shooting was believed to have been a quarrel over the payment of debt, according to McDonough County State's Attorney H.D. Sintzenich.
Lamar Turner and juvenile (Michael Hyde) were taken into custody at the McDonough District Hospital. Both were charged with aiding and abetting aggravated battery.
According to the March 1, 1972 Macomb Daily Journal, Sintzenich said the deceased was carrying a handgun, a .22 revolver. He said that Hyde held the gun on Johnson. Turner then hit Johnson on the head with a hammer. Johnson wrestled the gun from Hyde and fired shots at the three as they fled into the hallway.
Steven Hyde was shot in the arm and the back and then ran down the stairwell until he collapsed on the landing between the ground floor and the basement. This was Western Illinois' first recorded school shooting.
Another deadly encounter occurred 36 years ago today.
On a Tuesday October morning, freshman Kevin D. Laughlin fell nine stories to his death in a Tanner Hall elevator shaft.
Laughlin was a victim of typical dormitory horseplay. When medical personnel found Laughlin he was unconscious from the 81-foot fall. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the McDonough County Hospital.
During the 1970s a number of strange fatalities occured on the Western campus. For example, Tuesday, March 1, 1972 there was a shooting in Seal Hall resulting in a Western student charged with voluntary manslaughter.
Clyde R. Johnson, 24, a Western freshman, was charged with voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Steven Wayne Hyde, 19, also a Western freshman.
The shooting occurred on the third floor of Seal Hall. University police discovered Hyde face down in the stairwell between the first floor and ground floor of the east wing. Johnson was found lying on his back on the third floor. The cause of the shooting was believed to have been a quarrel over the payment of debt, according to McDonough County State's Attorney H.D. Sintzenich.
Lamar Turner and juvenile (Michael Hyde) were taken into custody at the McDonough District Hospital. Both were charged with aiding and abetting aggravated battery.
According to the March 1, 1972 Macomb Daily Journal, Sintzenich said the deceased was carrying a handgun, a .22 revolver. He said that Hyde held the gun on Johnson. Turner then hit Johnson on the head with a hammer. Johnson wrestled the gun from Hyde and fired shots at the three as they fled into the hallway.
Steven Hyde was shot in the arm and the back and then ran down the stairwell until he collapsed on the landing between the ground floor and the basement. This was Western Illinois' first recorded school shooting.
Another deadly encounter occurred 36 years ago today.
On a Tuesday October morning, freshman Kevin D. Laughlin fell nine stories to his death in a Tanner Hall elevator shaft.
Laughlin was a victim of typical dormitory horseplay. When medical personnel found Laughlin he was unconscious from the 81-foot fall. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the McDonough County Hospital.
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