Before presenting his thesis defense, Fredrick Davidson plants a gun in the first-aid kit of one of the university's science labs, preparing for whatever might lay ahead. Sweating and delusional, he watches the potential victims file in. When the defense is set to start, his thesis director, Dr. Liang, offers a quick, light-hearted introduction but delusional Fred believes that the committee is purposefully mocking him. Enraged, he heads to the first-aid kit and begins the rampage, eventually murdering three of his professors in cold blood. Based on true events, Professor Joseph Katz presents this horrible tragedy through his own eyes. In fact, his perspective is certainly unique: he was supposed to be in the room that day but was running late from a last-minute meeting one floor below. Shooting in the Ivory Tower chronicles this violent event through multiple perspectives and gives the reader insight into what led up to the murders, based on trial coverage and first-hand discussions with the victims and Davidson himself.