Seth Arthur Fessenden, a Professor Emeritus at California State University, Fullerton, was one of seven people killed during the mass shooting on July 12, 1976, carried out by a university custodian, Edward Charles Allaway. The attack began shortly before 7 am and took place in the library’s first-floor lobby and the Instructional Media Center in the basement; witnesses compared the gunfire to a machine gun or a series of popping noises. Allaway used a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle, chased down and shot several victims, and then ran out of bullets before leaving campus.

Allaway, who had a documented history of violence and had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, fled to a nearby Anaheim hotel after the shooting, called police to report his actions and surrender, and was arrested and charged with multiple counts of murder. He was found insane at trial and committed to Patton State Hospital. If anyone knew Professor Fessenden or was on campus that morning, please share what you remember or any information that could add to the record.