(Mobile, Ala.) - Bettye Flowers has personal ties to the University of South Alabama.
Her son graduated from USA in 2007.
Bettye, herself, graduated back in 1971.
Saturday morning's shooting of naked 18-year-old freshman Gil Collar by a campus police officer was not what she expected at her university.
"And I'm very concerned about this senseless act that has taken place," she said.
She admits she doesn't know all the details.
"I was not there, so I don't know the circumstances, but-"
And it's that "but", that moment of doubt, that seems to be on the lips of many in Mobile.
USA isn't commenting beyond the initial press release.
In the days to come, investigators with the DA's office and the Mobile County Sheriff's Office will delve into the real facts of the case.
But until then, until more is revealed, people like Bettye Flowers and others who have talked with Local 15 News seem to be asking the same questions.
"Well, this just concerns me," she said, "because, why couldn't that officer have just gone and gotten other officers? And if the student was nude, he saw that he was unarmed. I just think it was a senseless act."
A senseless act, or a split second decision of self defense with disastrous consequences?
It's much too soon to tell right now.
But for those struggling to understand why, speculation is the only option for now.
"I'm sure this officer is going through a whole lot right now," Bettye Flowers continued. "I'm empathetic with him, but I'm more empathetic with this family. Because they send their son to college and he comes home in a body bag."
