Hoddle Street massacre
Encyclopedia
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
.
The shootings resulted in the deaths of seven people, and serious injury to 19 others. 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 massacre
s in Australian history. 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.
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.
Clifton Hill, Victoria
Clifton Hill is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. The border between Clifton Hill and Fitzroy North is Queens Parade and Smith Street. Merri Creek defines the eastern border of Clifton Hill. Its Local Government Area is...
, a suburb of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The shootings resulted in the deaths of seven people, and serious injury to 19 others. After a police chase lasting more than 30 minutes, 19 year old former Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
officer cadet
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
Julian Knight
Julian Knight
Julian Knight is the mass murderer who on 9 August 1987, shot dead seven people and injured 19 during a shooting spree in Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia, in what became known in Australian history as the Hoddle Street Massacre....
was caught in nearby Fitzroy North
Fitzroy North, Victoria
Fitzroy North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Yarra and Moreland. At the 2006 Census, Fitzroy North had a population of 11,069....
and arrested for the shootings. Knight was later sentenced to seven consecutive terms of life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
with a non-parole period of 27 years for one of the bloodiest massacre
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
s in Australian history. 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.
Julian Knight
Knight entered the Royal Military College, DuntroonRoyal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
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 potsPot glassIn Australia, a pot glass is a kind of glassware used for drinking beer. The size of a pot glass is 285mL, which is equivalent to one standard drink of full-strength beer...
of beer at a local pubPublic houseA public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, Knight leaves his mother's house armed with - a .22 calibre Ruger rifleRuger 10/22The Ruger 10/22 is a semi-automatic rimfire rifle chambered in .22 Long Rifle. It has a removable 10-round rotary magazine which allows the magazine to fit flush with the bottom of the stock. Higher capacity magazines are also available...
, - a 12-gauge pump-action Mossberg shotgunMossberg 500Mossberg 500 is a series of shotguns manufactured by O.F. Mossberg & Sons. The 500 series comprises widely varying models of hammerless, pump action repeaters, all of which share the same basic receiver and action, but differ in bore size, barrel length, choke options, magazine capacity, and...
and - a 7.62x51mm calibre NorincoNorincoThe China North Industries Corporation , official English name Norinco, manufactures vehicles , machinery, optical-electronic products, oil field equipment, chemicals, light industrial products, explosives and blast materials, civil and military firearms and ammunition, etc...
M14 military rifleM14 rifleThe M14 rifle, formally the United States Rifle, 7.62 mm, M14, is an American selective fire automatic rifle firing 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition. It was the standard issue U.S. rifle from 1959 to 1970. The M14 was used for U.S... - 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,"http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/ergo/hoddle_street_massacre 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 HillClifton Hill, VictoriaClifton Hill is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. The border between Clifton Hill and Fitzroy North is Queens Parade and Smith Street. Merri Creek defines the eastern border of Clifton Hill. Its Local Government Area is...
- 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 NorthFitzroy North, VictoriaFitzroy North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Yarra and Moreland. At the 2006 Census, Fitzroy North had a population of 11,069....
, and fires his final shots at police - 10.14pm - Out of ammunition, Knight surrendersSurrender (military)Surrender is when soldiers, nations or other combatants stop fighting and eventually become prisoners of war, either as individuals or when ordered to by their officers. A white flag is a common symbol of surrender, as is the gesture of raising one's hands empty and open above one's head.When the...
and is arrested by police
See also
- Milperra massacreMilperra massacreThe Milperra Massacre was a firearm battle between rival motorcycle gang members on September 2 1984, in Milperra, a south-western suburb of Sydney...
- Queen Street massacreQueen Street massacreThe Queen Street massacre was a spree killing suicide that occurred on 8 December 1987 at the Australia Post offices at 191 Queen Street in Melbourne, Australia...
- List of massacres in Australia
- List of disasters in Australia by death toll