Hoddle Street massacre
The Hoddle Street massacre is a spree killing that occurred on the evening of Sunday, 9 August 1987 in Hoddle Street, Clifton Hill, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.[1]
The shootings resulted in the deaths of seven people, and serious injury to 19 others.[2] After a police chase lasting more than 30 minutes, 19 year old former Australian Army officer cadet Julian Knight was caught in nearby Fitzroy North and arrested for the shootings. Knight was later sentenced to seven consecutive terms of life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 27 years for one of the bloodiest massacres in Australian history.[3] As Knight was between 18 and 21, he was classed as a young adult offender under Victorian law and also because at the time Victoria did not have life without parole, he was given the 27 year minimum.[4]
Julian Knight
Main article:
Julian KnightKnight entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon on 13 January 1987, at the age of 18. Whilst a military career had long been a dream, he performed poorly at his studies and gained good results only in weapons expertise exercises.
Timeline of events
Below is a timeline of events which occurred on 9 August 1987 during the drama.
- 9.29pm - Having consumed around ten pots of beer at a local pub, Knight leaves his mother's house armed with
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- Positions himself on raised platform behind billboard at corner of Ramsden and Hoddle streets (streetview/map), Clifton Hill
- "When police arrived, it was still very hard to see where Knight was firing from, and over the next two to three hours he continued to wound and kill passers-by,"[5] contradicts timeline given below ...
- 9.30pm - Knight fires at passersby using the Ruger rifle
- 9.35pm - Knight fires at passersby using the Mossberg shotgun
- 9.37pm - First police unit arrives at the scene in Hoddle Street
- 9.39pm - Knight fires at passersby using the M14 rifle
- 9.44pm - First ambulances arrive at the scene in Hoddle Street
- 9.45pm - Knight withdraws from the Hoddle Street scene
- 9.46pm - Knight fires 3 shots at police car "Northcote 253"
- 9.48pm - Police Helicopter "Air 495" arrives over Clifton Hill
- 9.59pm - Knight fires a shot at Constable Colin Chambers on the Northcote end of the Queens Parade/High Street bridge, which grazes his side
- 10.05pm - Knight fires 3 shots at Police Helicopter "Air 495", forcing it to land on nearby Knott Reserve
- 10.13pm - Knight cornered in McKean Street, Fitzroy North, and fires his final shots at police
- 10.14pm - Out of ammunition, Knight surrenders and is arrested by police
See also
References