A young man’s violent rage on Melbourne’s Hoddle Street | Forensic Files

[Music] our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents if you feel at
anytime you need support please contact your local crisis center for suggested phone numbers for confidential support
please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website the Royal Military College Duntroon is
responsible for preparing cadets and selected candidates for careers as commissioned officers in the Australian
Army at aims to do this by promoting leadership and integrity inspiring high ideals and the pursuit of excellence and
by instilling a sense of duty loyalty and service to the nation Australian soldiers adhered or contract that
solidifies their solemn obligation to the nation that contract States I'm an Australian soldier who is an expert in
close combat I am physically and mentally tough compassionate and courageous are lead by example I strive
to take the initiative I am committed to learning and working for the team I believe in trust loyalty and respect for
my country one night and the army the Rising Sun is my badge of honour I am an Australian soldier always
[Music] Julian naught was born in Melbourne Victoria on March 4 1968 his birth parents weren't ready to have children
so baby Julian was given up for adoption Julian's birth parents then went their separate ways with his mother moving to
South Africa where she later remarried and has lived ever since what happened - Julian's birth father is unknown when he
was just 10 days old Julian was adopted by a loving couple named Ralph and Pamela noia who were
thrilled to become parents when they held Julian in their arms for the first time they instantly fell in love with
their new son over the next few years they adopted another two children Sarah and Matthew and together the five became
a happy family there were no secrets all three children knew they were adopted and fully embraced the Ralph and Pilar
as their own parents Ralph and Pamela Knight were devoted to their family and worked hard to keep a
loving warm and supportive household Ralph Knight was an army education officer who taught literacy and numeracy
to Australian soldiers due to the nature of his work he was required to move around a lot and aware of a Ralph's job
took him his family followed throughout the years the knight family lived on multiple army barracks in Hong Kong
Malaysia and Singapore before finally settling down in Levitan a suburb 17 kilometers southwest of Melbourne CBD
Levitan was home to the Royal Australian Air Force Base in Point Cook where Ralph
landed a position in the School of Languages teaching Chinese to Australian soldiers this new position offered the
knight family the opportunity for more stability which Pamela saw as being incredibly important she had never been
a big fan of the transient life as a military family and now that the kids were all of school age she felt it was
essential they have a permanent steady home young Julian was enrolled in Epsom Street primary school classmates
recalled he was a happy child with a mischievous edge he enjoyed laughing and joking around which earned him the title
of class clown but it wasn't all carefree in good times for Julian it was at the school that he first encountered
bullying it wasn't that bullies were attracted to Julian the problem was that when Julian saw other kids being bullied
he would step in to defend them and the negative attention would be turned onto him instead
Julian idolized his father which fostered a deep fascination for the military within him from a young age
Julian dreamed of the day he was old enough to serve as a soldier in the Australian Army he hung off every word
that his father told him about life in the army and to learn as much as he could about the military by watching war
movies reading books indulging in his own war games and playing with muddled tanks and soldiers it was an obsession
that knew no bounds which only made things more difficult for Julian when Ralph and Pierre Malinois announced they
were getting a divorce Julian was 12 years old the night children didn't take this news well
Julian admired his father deeply and saw his decision to leave as the ultimate rejection
Ralph Knight moved out and the kids only had the chance to visit him every second
weekend until he was assigned to a new role in Canberra and visits to endure down to just a few a year
although Julien loved his mother he struggled to adapt to life without his father and missed his connection to the
army life despite the absence of his father Julien's obsession with the army continued to grow even when the family
moved away from the barracks they relocated to Ramstein Street in Clifton Hill a suburb four kilometres northeast
of Melbourne CBD around at the same time in 1980 julian was taken out of public school and enrolled in Westbourne
Grammar an independent private co-education school Julian's mother thought he would benefit from the change
but it had the opposite effect still struggling with the divorce of his parents Julian didn't adapt easily to
Westbourne grammar the rigidity and formality of the private school system didn't sit well with him his grades
began to suffer and he failed several subjects the only subject is showing interest in was history he didn't get
along well with the strict ages something all faculty members said they were intimidated by him he harbored an
intensity which gave them the feeling you would burst into a violent rage at any moment he didn't seem concerned
about making friends and was constantly getting in trouble at one point Julian locked the teacher out of the
room and laughed as she struggled to find her way in on another occasion he set firecrackers off in the school
lockers he expressed the creativity through drawing cartoons of extreme violence and passing them around the
room for other students to look at getting a kick out of their reactions in one cartoon titled seymour the
$6,000,000 mouse the main character goes on a shooting rampage killing 16 enemies
in one frame another panel shows the main character holding a machine gun surrounded by corpses
the only color featured is blood red which Julian had scribbled over the bullet-riddled bodies
he wrote above in capital letter in war is hell he's antagonistic behavior and disregard
for others earned to Julian the reputation as the school bully he lived up to the title constantly picking
fights with younger smaller students corporal punishment was still legal in Victorian private schools at the time so
when counseling didn't help change his behavior Julian was hit with a cane despite regular visits to the
principal's office and multiple disciplinary warnings being sent to his parents Julian failed the curve his
negative behaviour discipline and punishment only seemed to escalate it after three years at Westbourne grammar
the final straw came in 1982 when Julian who was now in year 8 got himself in a serious altercation with another student
named Archie Clark a year younger Archie was also a bully who had been instructed
by his father to always finish the fight the pair got into a senseless argument over a soccer ball with Archie
initiating a fight by pushing Julian in the chest and throwing the first punch encouraged
by his soccer mates to hit back Julian did just that swinging at Archie several times until he fell onto the ground when
a teacher approached Archie stopped fighting but Julian continued he drew his leg back and ferociously kicked
Archie in the head several times resulting in Archie bein concussed Julian was taken to the principal's
office for corporal punishment afterwards he boasted to his classmates about the cuts on his hands it was clear
to the staff at Westbourne grammar that Julian wasn't going to be rehabilitated he was set and found enjoyment in his
aggressive and violent ways Julian was promptly expelled from the school Archie Clark's father pressed the
charges against Julian for the injuries caused to his son the case appeared before the Children's Court where Julian
was charged with assault by kicking if convicted that would damage his chances of entering the Royal Military College
he so desperately longed to join the children's Court magistrate decided that a conviction wouldn't benefit either of
the boys as both were already struggling to keep their reputations and behavior in check the charges were dismissed with
a simple apology deemed the appropriate punishment by now Julian was attending Fitzroy High School
in North Fitzroy a public co-education school that was much more relaxed than Westbourne grammar but he failed to
improve his grades continued to drop and he found himself in trouble for smoking
fighting and setting firecrackers off in the classroom Julian still hold on to his childhood ambitions of joining the
military except in hell that interest had grown into an obsession he daydreamed about life as a soldier
imagining himself in battles where he fought against the odds to die as a hero in combat classmates were well aware of
Julian's infatuation with the army as he often talked about his goal to become a
soldier and about his interest in firearms he wore a military jacket as casual wear and read soldiers of fortune
magazines his bedroom walls were covered in posters of army paraphernalia and disturbing newspaper clippings featuring
pictures of corpses in war-torn areas in 1994 julian applied for a transfer to melbourne high school so that he could
partake in their army cadet program the program offered courses in radio work map navigation medical work and
elementary field engineering the cadet program was an entry-level recruitment platform that led him to the Army
Reserves and after that the Royal Military College Duntroon in Canberra as part of the approval process for
enrollment into Melbourne high Julian had to sign an agreement stating that he would obey the rules knowing it
would impact his chances of entering the Army Reserves if he messed up Julian knuckle down and avoided trouble he was
a loner and seemed to prefer his own company to that of his peers even though many of the other students also came
from broken homes and shedding interest in the army he was particularly aggressive and overly sensitive about
his family life Julian's grades were still poor but he managed to stay out of trouble and
maintain a position in the cadet program where his passion for the army was further solidified he attended camps
during school holidays where cadets were required to learn how to fend for themselves surviving in the bush on
rations while trapping and killing wild animals for additional food although his
marks were below average Julian managed the complete year 11 and 12 and graduated from Melbourne high at
the end of 1985 he participated in the school's ceremonial parade to mark 100 years of the cadet program where he's
platoon took part in drill exercises Julian proudly marched in his uniform and conked taught to his military rifle
as the music of the school being played in easy to oviya book Julian was remembered blessed for his worthiness as
a soldier and Morris the class outcast and mischief-maker quote Julian Knight inherited the role
of cadet unit Looney and chief political agitator upon graduation Julian's first step was to enlist in the
Army Reserve reservists are trained and operate alongside full-time military personnel but participate in the
military on a part-time basis giving them more flexibility to focus on a civilian life and career
Julian Knight considered his work with the reserves as a stepping stone into the full-time military career he had
dreamed of since childhood Julian served at the prince of wales light loss regimen while also working a
part-time job at fast-food restaurant McDonald's the Army Reserve was enjoyable to julienne he took part in
various camps and was taught how to use a variety of weapons meanwhile his part-time job at McDonald's was not
going well Julian who was unapologetically racist was vocal about his disdain for having to work alongside
and clean up after customers from Asia and a Mediterranean Europe he would even pretend to shoot them with an imaginary
gun throughout school and amongst the cadets Julian was known as a racist often talking candidly about his desire
to kill certain races he felt were invading Australia in order to keep his parents happy
Julian agreed to attend University while he waited v's chance to join the Royal Military College he enrolled in a
Bachelor of Arts degree at Latrobe University where he studied modern history French English and politics but
he dropped out after six weeks complaining to others that the university was quote full of woggs
and the leftover hippies on March 4 1986 the day of his 18th birthday Julian applied to obtain a shooters license the
form he was required to fill out was brief and basic and as he had no criminal history his application was
approved a month and a half later Julian received the license giving him legal approval to purchase possess carry
and to use firearms this meant he could now legally carry the Ruger 22 rifle that his uncle had previously given him
on his 17th birthday eager to expand his gun collection within months Julian had
purchased a Mossberg 12-gauge pump-action shotgun and an m14 Norinco semi-automatic military rifle since late
high school Julian had been in a tumultuous relationship with a young woman named Katie not her real name
although the two had been together for two years their relationship aired on the toxic
side fueled by Julian's infidelity early on katie was one of the few people who saw Julian's emotional side on multiple
occasions he had gotten drunk and broken down crying to her about being adopted and the agony of his parents divorce but
he could also become hostile at the drop of her her quickly switching from affectionate to aggressive
Katie suggested he says psychologists to deal with his childhood traumas but Julian refused his behavior always
worsened when alcohol was involved after a fight broke out at a house party between guests Katie hit in the toilets
for safety Julian dragged her out and kicked her in the head fed up with his violent and
unpredictable behavior Katie called the relationship off as his part-time job university studies and romantic
relationship broke down so did Julian's reputation in the Army Reserves he was often accused of slacking off not
pulling his weight being selfish and failing to relate to his peers despite his enthusiasm and drive for the
army those around him felt he didn't possess the discipline or the physical fitness levels required for a career in
the military so it came as a surprise to everyone when in late 1996 after going through a rigorous selection process
Julianne was accepted to join the Royal Military College Duntroon Julian music study his lifelong dream was finally
coming true the Royal Military College Duntroon better known simply as Duntroon is a prestigious Army training facility
located 4 kilometres outside of Australia's capital Canberra it was officially opened as a Military College
in June 1911 by the governor-general when the first class of Cadets were rushed through the college at the
commencement of World War one General Sir Ian Hamilton commander of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force stated
H Duntroon educated officer was worth his weight in gold cadets received training in leadership
tactics military history military law corporate governance and weapon systems the intensive course aims to test the
cadets physically and mentally graduation is not guaranteed life at Duntroon is demanding and many new
recruits can't take the pressure and go AWOL within the first few weeks of training while many others never
complete the course in January 1987 18-year old Julian naught traveled to Canberra where he joined the 45 squadron
of Kokoda company at Duntroon he was one of 12 cadets in his platoon and one of 85 new cadets all up the 85 new recruits
were selected out of more than 400 applicants which gave each of them a solid feeling of elitism believing they
were the best the country had to offer life at Duntroon was fast to kick into gear and julien's days were quickly
filled up with morning parades fitness training firearms training lectures and cleaning there was a lot to take in and
a lot to adapt to especially given the amount of teamwork involved for someone like Julian who had always been a bit of
a loner working as part of a team didn't come easily given the group unity and cooperation is essential in the army
Julian tried to secure his place in the group by lying to his peers about his skills accomplishments and abilities he
talked himself up as a Rambo type soldier after the fictional character played by Sylvester Stallone in the film
of the same name in reality the others at Duntroon saw Julian as a scrawny pockmarked wimp who only exceeded power
when holding a gun Julian desperately wanted to live up to the image of his successful father but he had a chip on
his shoulder he couldn't shake off Julian's facade didn't take long to crack in short time
his lack of dedication and resentment towards Authority began to shine through within months of entering Duntroon he
had racked up a long list of offenses these ranged from small offenses like falling asleep in class to serious
offenses like being absent without leave and having a civilian femur on dungeon grounds he showed no respect for the
rules that applied to someone of his ranking and was known to swear spit and purposely disobey policies regarding the
length of his hair and the way he dressed he would sleep through alarms spend the late nights out drinking in
Canberra pubs instead of studying bio tests and display a lack of confidence and awareness during field exercises he
repeatedly got into altercations with civilians whilst outside base usually while intoxicated as far as his position
in the army when he had the motivation but that was about it as someone who had never responded well to being told what
to do the strict rules and routines of the army did nothing but enrage and frustrate Julian essentially he was the
very opposite of the focused dedicated and respectful recruit the army was looking for he was the runt of his unit
and struggled the bond with his peers who took their positions in the military with great pride one cadet remarked he
felt no desire to die for Julian as he would for other soldiers the Australian Defence Force Academy and Royal Military
College have a history of allegations of hazing and brutality amongst the younger
cadets known as bastardization these acts are considered serious criminal behavior although many go unreported or
a denied entirely by officials at the most serious end of the spectrum reported acts of bastardization include
rape beatings sodomy burning branding forced consumption of toxic substances sexual humiliation and other acts of
violence but less serious rituals of degradation and abuse of power are most common during Julian's first few months
at Duntroon he experienced bastardization firsthand he was targeted by older cadets for his lack of
conformity in one instance who has made the stuffing the entire piece of toast lard in peanut butter into his mouth at
once making it difficult to breathe chew or swallow in another act he was made to
serve food to peers by getting on all fours carrying plates on his back and crawling across the floor at times he
was also beaten senior cadets lashed out at Julian aiming to break down his bravado and crack his disrespectful
attitude and insubordination however and had the opposite effect fuelling Julian's resentment towards Authority
and his refusal to obey tensions reached boiling point for Julian during a night
out at the private bean nightclub in Canberra he had recently been in trouble for being absent without leave and had
been instructed not to leave the Academy grounds older cadets were livid when they
spotted Julian out at the club on a Saturday night yet again disobeying and disrespecting orders sergeant major
Phillip Reed was particularly riled up about Julian's presence at the club throughout the night sergeant Reed
approached Julian and demanded he leave but Julian refused things got heated in a fight broke out julian suffered
multiple blows to the head from sergeant Reed and another cadet who got involved
afterwards Julian was kicked out of the nightclub he went to a nearby public toilet block
and cleaned the blood off his face instead of returning to Duntroon as he had been told he re-entered the
nightclub sergeant Reed stood with his back against the bar talking to a group of first class cadets Julian took a
knife out of his pocket approached sergeant Reed and swiftly stabbed him twice in the right side of his face
sergeant Reed sustained two deep lacerations near his ear Julian was admitted to the surgical ward
of Canberra Hospital for an accidental self-inflicted gash in his hand sergeant raids wounds were
non-life-threatening and he fully recovered upon his release from hospital julian was charged with three offences
malicious wounding assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault he was given two options suspension from the
army until the court hearing or resigned from Duntroon given the stabbing incident and his subpar performance at
the college where he'd recently been ranked at the bottom end of his class Julian resigned from Duntroon it
officially and abruptly ended his lifelong dream of combat and becoming a war hero
as of July 24 1997 Julian Knight was no longer a member of the Australian Army shattered angry and disappointed Julian
left Canberra and returned to Melbourne not expecting her Sunday ever moved back
into the family home on ramsden Street camallo not had turned Julian's old bedroom into a living room he had to
sleep on the floor on an old foam mattress his belongings packed away in boxes his old group of friends didn't
want much to do with him nor did his ex-girlfriend Katie over the following weeks
Julian struggled to find a job fit for his skills he enrolled in a security course only to find out most security
companies wanted their employees to be at least 25 years old Julian was just 19 he had no money and
owned his uncle's seven grand for a halt in Tirana he had purchased the previous
year a car which was his pride and joy but was now having mechanical issues Julian decided he was going to sell the
car but knew it would be difficult due to the condition it was in to make ends meet
he took a mundane job as a Stormin and driver for a clothing company which he hoped would only be temporary until he
could figure out his next step he also decided to reach out and contact his birth mother but his letters went
unanswered on the morning of Sunday August 9 1987 Julian woke up seedy and hungover the
night before he found out his ex-girlfriend was having a house party that he wasn't invited to upset Julian
spent the night drinking alcohol to numb the sting of rejection around at midday
he dragged himself out of bed and across town to his grandmother's house in Hawthorne his family was gathering to
celebrate his mum's birthday from earlier that week Julian stayed until around a 4:00 p.m.
before driving his 15 year old sister home the gearbox in his car had been malfunctioning and on his way home that
jammed entirely getting stuck in second gear his chances of selling the car window jeopardized he'd have to find a
way to pay for repairs slowly and with great effort he managed to get the car home to Rammstein Street inside he
changed into jeans and a navy blue jacket before heading to the Royal Hotel in Clifton Hill which was his regular
drinking hole while nursing beer after beer he vented the bar staff into locals about his car troubles life outside of
the army his breakup with Katie and how she had been ignoring him since his return to Melbourne Julian stayed at the
hotel until around 8 p.m. having drunk somewhere between 8 and 15 beers over the course of the evening by the time he
left bartenders noted he seemed a little depressed but appeared relatively unaffected by the alcohol
after the pub Julian walked home to Rance them Street his mother insists that were home watching a movie on TV
Julian's 16 year old brother was staying the night at his grandmother's house in
Hawthorne Julian headed upstairs and entered his mother's bedroom reaching under her bed he pulled out a box where
he kept these three guns a 22 caliber Ruger rifle a 12-gauge 8 shot pump action shotgun and an m14 semi-automatic
military rifle Julian picked up all three he then went to his mother's cupboard where he stored his ammunition
he collected three ten round rotary magazines for the Ruger the belt of 25 rounds of ammunition for the shotgun and
160 round a magazine for the m14 rifle he loaded all three guns and slipped a single bullet into his pocket labeling
it his suicide bullet slinging the m14 over his shoulder Julian carried the 22 and the shotgun and went back downstairs
it was approximately 929 p.m. when heavily-armed Julien noise snuck out of his house he immediately took off
running in a westerly direction down the quiet tree-lined Rams then Street moving
towards huddle Street Hottel Street forms part of a large urban highway that runs for three and a half kilometers
from the suburbs of Clifton Hill to Richmond where it then turns into Pond Road located less than five kilometers
from Melbourne CBD Hodel Street is one of Melvin's major thoroughfares connecting north and south and servicing
thousands of cars every single day the section of Hudl Street at the western end of Ramsden Street is a four-lane
arterial main road busy with a constant stream of traffic on Sunday nights cars flow up and down Hodel street carrying
people home from weekend getaways relaxing Sunday outings inner-city activities and to work it was no
different the night of Sunday August 9 1997 as Julian Nights lived under a fence and emerged from the eastern edge
of huddle Street pairs of headlights glistened and passed by as julian crept along the darkened side of the road he
knelt down into some shrubbery biting himself from view he positioned himself facing the oncoming traffic raised his
shotgun and pulled the trigger thank you for listening to today's episode we'll be
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luxury couch for real life one of the first bullet struck the windscreen of a car carrying allen jury
and his girlfriend Monica Vitelli leaving a hole in the center the couple initially thought their car
had been struck by a rock as they were pelted with more bullets the realization of what was actually happening became
terrifyingly clear Allen shouted at his girlfriend to duck down Monica sleepiness a shooting herself behind the
dashboard Allen struggled to steer the car away from the onslaught whilst keeping his own head lowered and out of
the shooters line of sight gunshots continued to hit the passenger side of their car causing the windows to
smash broken glass struck Allen on the side of his neck below his left ear desperate to find cover
Allen turned to the car away from the openness of the road and into a nearby mobile service station barely 100 meters
away he raced inside yelling at the staff that they'd been shot at into court police staff assured customers and
passers-by inside hastily flicking off the building lights as the group ducked in the darkness away from the windows
sergeant Graham Largent and his partner Senior Constable Betty Roberts had spent
that Sunday afternoon investigating two unrelated firearm incidents and in Northcutt alley station there was around
9:30 p.m. when the pair heard the crack of gunfire in the distance by now several drivers had been fired upon
whilst travelling along huddle Street some of these drivers came across a police car nearby and they stopped to
report what had happened as police rushed to the scene persons in and around Hodel Street heard what they
thought to be small explosions like fireworks unaware a gunman was indiscriminately firing upon anyone who
crossed these paths cars approached the area with little concern only to be bombarded with
bullets from the unseen gunmen drivers desperately steered out of the line of fire some managed to floor down huddle
Street and out of danger many others only got as far as the mobile service station where Alan Juri and Monica
Vitali had taken sanctuary over the following minutes a long line of cars had gathered there the passenger side of
each was littered with bullet holes drivers and passengers emerged shaken and confused some were wounded they took
cover within the service station waiting for police to arrive the gunfire was too
close for comfort but none were willing to risk heading back out onto Hodel Street to try and get to a safer
location 24-year old vest named Marc Koska and her boyfriend Zoran we're returning
home from a party they were driving in separate cars Zoran following behind Vesna their route took
them straight down huddle Street as their vehicles need the Ramsden straightening a section business
windscreen suddenly shuttered sending shop flakes of glass into the car having no idea what happened she pulled over in
parked before getting out to investigate Zorin stopped his car to save Esna was okay
suddenly a burst of 13 gun shots pierced through Zorin's wings green business stood exposed on the street little tong
to react six bullets penetrated her body Zorin who had received lacerations to his hands and pellet wounds to the side
of his head fell out of his car and race to her he bent over biznes body frantic
and hopeless as his girlfriend delayed dying in front of him news of casualties on Hodel street
reached police they were fast converging on the area with sirens wailing blue and
red lights flashing as they approached the scene they were greeted by a volley of gunfire
[Applause] twenty-seven-year-old Englishman Robert Mitchell was returning home from dinner
with friends as he dragged down huddle Street he spotted cars parked off to the side
and a woman wounded on the ground it looked as though a vehicle accident had occurred or perhaps the woman had been
hit by a car robber pulled over to offer his assistance within seconds of getting out
of the car he fell to the ground the bullet has struck him killed him instantly around at the same time
twenty-one-year-old juniper peanu rolled her car to a stop close by having noticed the injured bodies strewn across
the roadway Gina got out of her car to help as she crossed toddle Street she was struck by two bullets the large hole
in the left side of her body later described by police as being similar to a shark attack victim the sound of
gunfire smashed glass screeching brakes car horns and screaming rung out through
the surrounding suburbs the chaos caught the attention of 26 year old John musket
and his friend Peter Comey who were at a friend's place on nearby Turnbull Street
a neighbor told them someone was outside shooting and that he'd just called the police
John and Peter decided to see what was going on as they reach total Street they met a
third man Steve white Steve worked at the nearby leisure center and thought the initial sounds of gunfire were
children throwing pebbles onto the building's roof when he went outside to investigate he witnessed the gunman
firing on passers-by stiva warned the other men of the danger in the trio cautiously crossed the
street approaching the bodies of Vesna Gina and Robert as they got close the gunfire recommenced
John musket was struck six times in the left shoulder chest head neck and rowdy pay takumi was hit in the right arm
chest and thigh both men fell to the ground Steve white managed to avoid the bullets taking shelter behind a tree
about five meters away the firing stopped steep thought the shooter either fled or had run out of bullets he crept
out from behind the tree and immediately rushed to help John and Peter the flash
of two rifles being discharged at the same time sparked in the distance Steve was shot in the head and chest despite
their injuries all three men were still alive laying helpless in the wide open expanse
of huddle Street fifty three-year-old Dusen flattening traveled south on huddle Street on his
way to work at the Carlton brewery his Breann Sigma sedan was struck by two bullets one lodged itself in the back
seat behind the driver side door the other struck Dusen ending his life not far behind Kevin farmer drove his 23
year old wife Tracy Skinner in their 18 month old son down Hodel Street oblivious to the destruction they were
heading into their baby son was dressed for bed and nestled in his mother's lap on the passenger seat the couple spotted
Dusen scarce stopped in the middle of huddle Street as well as the other cars parked off to the side bodies lay around
them they didn't have much time to assess the situation before their own car was pelted with gunfire
Tracy quickly lowered her baby between her legs to protect him a 308 bullet made contact with the car smashing the
passenger side window in hitting Tracy directly in the face Kevin sped the car to the mobile service station further
down the road he screamed he's killed my wife my wife is dead I'll kill the bastard
I'll kill the bastard [Music] 21 year-old Kenneth Stanton was on his Kawasaki motorcycle on his way to work
night shift in Australia post as he sped down huddle Street he was struck by a bullet knocking him off his bike Kenneth
was seriously injured but still alive as he cried out for help a flurry of bullets were sending his
direction ending his life by now Julian night's shooting spree had been going on for an agonizing 15 minutes
police and paramedics pressed forward despite being shot out on sight at this stage they didn't know how many active
gunmen were in the area where exactly they were or how many victims they had amassed police radio was a loud and
frightening mass of sirens gunfire in to panic officers surrounded 303 presumably
still on footage [Applause] [Music] after blocking traffic along nearby Queens parade sergeant Graham Larson and
Senior Constable Betty Roberts drove towards High Street their headlights on High Beam illuminated a man carrying a
gun across his chest the officers thought he was a plainclothes detective out searching for the shooter from their
divisional van the officers watched as the men jumped the fence near the railway when he spotted the police van
the gunman beeline to down the tracks towards the officers when he closed in he crouched down held up a rifle and
fired five times the shooter quickly disappeared into the dark surrounds sergeant March and told Senior Constable
Roberts to use this as an opportunity to escape to safety sergeant Larson got out of the police
car and ran along the street in his exacting motion to make him a difficult target to shoot while scanning the
shadows for the gunman meanwhile police and paramedics reached the mobile service station on huddle Street there
they discovered the body of young mother Tracey Skinner it's going it really works like a police
helicopter appeared over the Clifton Hill area scanning the residential streets below with a blinding spotlight
as they hovered bullets flew past the helicopter from the unseen shooter the first few shots missed but then won him
by 10 p.m. the usually quiet and narrow streets of Clifton Hill and that surrounds were a flurry of action police
car sped by as officers sprinted through yards and alleys with weapons raised during the frantic search constable
Colin chambers ran into the gunman who had taken up position on the end of the Queen's parade bridge which spend merry
Creek constable Chambers was shot in the torso just above his right hip and quickly took cover under his police car
the police helicopter hovering above said it's bright lights on the gunman causing him to fire his rifle back in
return after being hit three times and sustaining damage to the engine the helicopter was forced to land at
approximately 10:13 p.m. less than 45 minutes since the shooting began a possible sighting of the gunman near
Queens Street and Russell Crescent in North Fitzroy was radioed to constable John Delahunty Delahunty arrived to the
area alongside a second responding unit constable Ralph philopon who come from the Russell Street Police Headquarters
constable John Delahunt II quote we could hear the police helicopter nearby and we could hear more shots and the
helicopter came up on the radio saying they'd been hit and I remember saying to Ralph Gees clothes is coming this way we
were standing outside the car because we didn't want to sit in the car and be a target and - then Ralph smacked me and
said there he goes and I could just see this figure running across the road on Russia all present
fearing they might lose sight of the suspect the officers got into a divisional VN and gave chase Delahunty
fished out the van and came to a grinding hole cornering the shooter in a lane way the car's headlights
illuminated the gunman who opened fire on the police car sharing it with bullets constable Delahunty quote I
started to open the door and that's when he started shooting he just opened fire
and that's when I felt the impact to the side of my head the handbrake was still in my hand the
lever had been shattered and I saw some blood on my hand and you always shot I bounced out of the car and the shots
just kept on coming the bullets were going straight through the car I lost sight of Ralph I went straight to the
ground and started crawling to get to the back of the car I could feel the flicks of the bullet going over my head
I went to the side of the car and stood up and then fired back and all I could see was the flash I thought I'd hit him
because it all went quiet Dulli Noah was now out of ammo crouched down behind a low brick wall he searched
frantically for the suicide bullet he had tucked safely away in the pocket of his jeans but he couldn't find it
the single bullet fired by Constable John Delahunt he swept past him without a means to take his own life and with
police closing in Julian was living his lifelong fantasy he was about to die in combat in his own
deluded a blaze of glory yet when confronted by the realization he was about to die
Julian Knight realized he didn't want to go through with it he hastily threw down
his empty m14 rifle and came out from behind a brick wall hands raised in the air he begged don't shoot I'm unarmed
don't shoot constable John Delahunt II quote I couldn't believe how pathetic he looked it was just a skinny pathetic
person who was begging us not to kill him that was the thing that got me the most about him is that here he is he was
scared he was frightened he was screaming and pleading don't shoot me and yet he had just murdered seven
people and shot dozens more all up Julian Knight had fired about 125 rounds of ammunition and fifty people in total
19 people were injured and seven were killed vezna Markovski Robert Mitchell Jena
poppy Onew John Musker Dustin fledge Dick Tracy Skinner and Kenneth Staunton constable Ralph Lachman
forced the gunman onto the ground the police were convinced they were multiple gunmen so they were screaming
at him to tell them where his accomplices were when he said there were no others they slammed him under the
bonnet of the police car he handcuffed him and called for backup it wasn't long before more police
arrived by car and on foot as the gunman like handcuffed on the ground he told the police his name Julian knowing he
had military training and dr. de Lyonne detective singing constable Richard McIntosh stepped forward and told Julian
he was under arrest for murder at the st. Kilda police station the ease at which Julian Knight gave his full
confession shocked everyone Julian answered questions openly and honestly responding with disturbing calm he
consented to requests for blood samples and swabs checking for firearm residue detectives say a constable Richard
McIntosh remarked interviewing Julian was locked dealing with a spoiled child rather than a hardened criminal
detectives say a constable Graham Kent had a similar impression of Julian quote It was as if we were talking to someone
who is very immature incredibly self-centered who is playing out of fantasy and had no understanding or care
for its consequences the Homicide Squad detectives asked Julian to recant his movements that day when asked why he
decided to go home and grab his guns and ammunition Julian answered that he wanted to see
what it was like to kill someone he believed that as soon as he killed someone the special operations group
would arrive and finish him off Julian revealed his initial desire was to be killed he admitted that he'd been
thinking for years about what it would be like to kill and be killed as a military man he said his plan was the
cape shooting until he ran out of ammunition at which point he would end his life in the blaze of glory moment
he'd fantasize since childhood detective Senior Constable Graham can't quote the biggest part of it was around
him wanting to experience combat and wanting to know what it was like to kill people
and wanting to get into what he called the theatres of war where he would be in combat the problem with that explanation
of his is that it doesn't stack up because he was shooting at unarmed people civilians and the moment he was
confronted with armed police who did fire one shot at him he made it he gave up although he never appeared to be
affected by alcohol Julian claimed the shooting would never have happened if he hadn't been drinking
that night as he lost all control when he consumed alcohol and had a terrible temper
[Music] Julian agreed to participate in a recorded reenactment of the night's events he accompanied the Homicide Squad
detectives back to huddle Street the vehicles of many of his victims remained in situ as Julian walked in handcuffs I
can't remember exactly but I think was here that I first prompt what did you do here I think this is where I started
shooting kneeling in that direction [Music] passing cars you left that area there
where did you go then to the edges the bushes here I'll prop there kneeling at the edge of the where the bushes start
here yeah what did you do they continued foreign what was your intent when you're
shooting at those carts shoot at the paper on them as low as you intend towards they kill them
Julian Nye revealed that during the period when police were out hunting for him he stopped behind a tree to smoke a
cigarette this action gave detectives the belief that Julian Knight was not lost in some
sort of mental break but was fully aware of what he was doing in the situation he
was in it was the way in which Julian explained killing Kenneth Stanton that gave detectives disturbing insight into
his thought process Kenneth was shot as he troubled down Hudl Street on his motorcycle
although Kenneth was hit he didn't die instantly Julian I quote I let off another three rounds I hit him and he
started screaming out and he hit the ground and he was still screaming so I didn't want to keep him in any more
agony so I let off other rounds until he stopped screaming when asked whether he
had any feelings of regret over the death see it caused Julian's response was a regret that I had the base of
ilion's and I regret that I was captured rather than killed survivors family members of
the victims and witnesses were spared a trial when Julian pled guilty to seven counts of murder and 49 counts of
attempted murder he had accepted a plea bargain agreeing to plead guilty in exchange for the possibility of parole
after serving 27 years Julian had been assessed on multiple psychiatrists and specialists who founded no sign of
mental illness it was noted he suffered unhealed trauma from his childhood was influenced by various stress factors
fuelled by alcohol had a high level of immaturity and low self-esteem psychiatrists agreed that while some
degree of dissociation had occurred Julian never lost touch with reality it was clear that Julian's desire to live
up to the image he had of himself as a soldier and war hero was the main factor that drove his behavior
on November 10 1988 Julian appeared at the Melbourne Supreme Court to receive his sentencing Justice George Hampl
quote on August 9 1987 you were responsible for one of the worst massacres in Australian history as a
result of which seven people died in nineteen were injured many more were fortunate to escape death or injury as
you indiscriminately fired over 100 grams of ammunition from three weapons and passing motorists and at the police
as they tried to apprehend you the answers to what you did lie in your background you're fragile and disordered
personality and ultimately in your inability to cope with the accumulation of pressures and stresses which operated
on you just the sample went on to sentence Julian naught to seven life sentences for the seven counts of murder
and ten years imprisonment for each count of attempted murder having to take into account Julian's plea deal justice
handfuls sentenced him to serve the minimum term of 27 years before being eligible for parole 27 years works out
at three point eight five years for each murder in prison Julian was a relatively
peaceful inmate behind bars he completed a Bachelor of Arts and multiple TAFE qualifications but despite his
cooperation is an everyday in Maine he stirred up all kinds of trouble for the Victorian legal system
over the years he attempted to take legal action for a range of Appeals most of which had absolutely no basis and
were destined to fail he appealed that inmates who were participating in tertiary education behind bars should be
eligible to receive our study a monetary payment given to students by the Australian government he appealed
against the denial of his request for a computer and the denial of his request for the prison to sell a cigarettes more
ludicrously he lodged the complaint to the Equal Opportunity Commission alleging discrimination against his
political beliefs after prison officers removed numerous articles associated with the Ku Klux
Klan from his soul for 2016 Julian had attempted to lodge 40 legal actions only tenable which proceeded accord the
Victorian Attorney General then took him to court to declare him a vexatious litigant for life this means he has to
seek permission from the court before taking any new legal action in the future in handing down his judgment just
as Jack Forrest said quote mr. Knights applications frequently baseless take up scarce judicial resources and mean that
other non vexatious litigants are delayed in accessing justice forensic psychologist Professor Paul Mullen
assessed Julian and concluded he received satisfaction out of causing trouble by May 2014
Julian Knight had served his 27 years sentence and was eligible to apply for parole in a highly controversial move in
order to prevent him from gaining parole the victorian government purposefully amended the corrections act this
prevented the board from ordering night's release on parole unless satisfied amongst other things that
Knight is in imminent danger of dying or is seriously incapacitated and that as a
result he no longer has the physical ability to do harm to any person put simply the law was altered so Julian
Niall would never be released unless he is on his deathbed as part of his original plea deal Julian agreed not to
raise in court any mention of the bullying and bastardization he had endured while at the Royal Military
College Duntroon when Julian's chance of parole was squashed he decided this meant he was no longer bound by the
stipulations of his plea bargain in 2014 Julian Noah launched a legal action against the Commonwealth over the
alleged abuse he suffered as a cadet at Duntroon he also applied for compensation as a victim of crime in the
acct Magistrates Court but the statute of limitations had passed meaning Knight had to seek an extension to have his
case heard associate justice must have agreed that Knight was clearly distressed by his experiences at
Duntroon rejected his application for an extension noting his habitual litigation
in the past and the fact that he clearly gained satisfaction from legal proceedings whilst in prison
Julian Knight penned an apology letter to victims of his massacre however it was clear the letter was less an attempt
to bring closure to the bloodshed but to air his frustrations and not receiving parole quote I offer my sincerest
apologies to my victims and to all Victorians but given the enormity of my crimes that doesn't amount to much does
it what else can I do the huddle Street shootings were despicable cowardly and senseless they were not however
committed in anger as a war on society thirty years have passed since the huddle Street shootings and I am far
from being the immature disturbed desperate teenager who committed them if I had been granted parole in 2014 I
would have very quickly faded into obscurity and I would have ended my days leading a quiet simple life devoted to
community service instead the future holds nothing but endless legal battles I didn't want this
if the blame lies anywhere and lies with Corrections Victoria and successive Victorian state governments if they
never intended to release me they should have made this planes 30 years ago hotle Street survivors rejected nice
apology as self-serving Steve white who was shot by Julian as he rushed to help other victims stated the apology was a
fraud and labeled any tears cried by night as fake quote nothing he could say would ever show me that he felt remorse
or sorrow or anything like that I saw the first person get shot and I saw him shoot another person after that he was
calculating in what he did he wanted to be Australia's most notorious mass murderer this is a sentiment shared by
those who have been incarcerated with Julian Knight and the guards who watched over him according to them Julian would
brag about his status as a mass killer Sydney Morning Herald journalist Tess Lawrence spoke with Julianne during his
imprisonment his shooting had since inspired a copycat months after huddle Street in December 1987 Melbourne
resident Frank Vic Kovac walked into the Australia Post offices on Queen Street carrying a sawn-off m1 carbine his
attack resulted in eight fatalities five serious injuries and his own death after
he fell from the 11th floor window like Hodel Street and later Wall Street this killing would come to be known by the
street had occurred on the Queen Street Massacre a search of Frank vitka Vic's room revealed he kept a newspaper
clippings about the huddle Street shooting with sections underlined in red [Music]
Julian spoke of Frank Vic Kovac with disdain but for unusual reasons he considered Vic Kovac an amateur he knew
nothing about guns and remarked that it was a fluke he had killed as many as he did it was clear to journalists test
Laurance that Julian was expressing a seething jealousy over Vic Kovac Skilling's and seemed to genuinely upset
that the Queen Street death tally was one higher than his own senseless slaughter
It was as if shooting sprees were a competition to Julian one based on victim count
this came to the forefront again in 1996 when prison televisions displayed news of yet another shooting massacre this
one occurring in Port Arthur Tasmania night was seen leaving the room in irritation in the words of a prison
guard Julian had a sick head and was seen poring over crime-scene photos from huddle Street and showing other inmates
he bragged about receiving a smaller sentence than the Russell Street Bombers even though he killed more people Julian
who had nicknamed himself the NOI writer told a fellow prisoner I'm going to do it again then I'll know the Nightrider
is back the comment was overheard by a guard as well as the prison warden and confirmed by the other inmate in another
conversation about mass killing night spoke about the best ways to create maximum casualties in 2001 the public
were outraged to learn that Julian took a course on military strategy and weapon
systems whilst inside prison the backlash resulted in a review of the inmate education system a year later in
2002 not did a stint in solitary confinement when knives and maps of the prison were found in his cell in prison
julian wrote a manifesto of his recollections of the shooting he wrote these notes were written after i'd
mentally gone over that night and psyched myself back into that frame of mind the writing is short sharp and
breathless but adds no further insight into what Julian decided to go out and killed that night a soldier who trained
with Julian at the Royal Military College Duntroon stated after the massacre quote
trouble was Julian was looking for a war he was always saying he wished one would
start in Australia well he started his own war the thing is he fought the cowards or didn't he CB Street is no war
zone what he did was a terrible thing don't you believe all that [ __ ] he tells
you about the army training you to kill I know he says he went into a killing mode that night and that [ __ ]
the last thing Duntroon does is teach you that sort of thing that wasn't killing that was murder the army might
teach us to kill but it doesn't teach us to murder [Music] [Music] you

Case 90: Hoddle Street

He was always saying he wished a war would start in Australia. Well, he started his own war. The thing is, he fought a coward’s war, didn’t he?

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research and writing – Elsha McGill Production, scoring – Mike Migas Additional scoring – Andrew Joslyn

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Brief Summary

Julian Knight's life led to a tragic shooting spree in Melbourne, resulting in seven deaths and numerous injuries.

Key points

Acceptance into Military College. Despite his troubled past, Julian is accepted into the prestigious Royal Military College Duntroon.
Julian's Troubled Childhood. Julian was adopted and faced bullying, shaping his future aspirations and struggles.
Expulsion from School. Julian's aggressive behavior leads to his expulsion after a violent altercation.
Julian's Stabbing Incident. Julian Knight's rebellion against authority leads to a violent confrontation at a nightclub.
Chaos on Huddle Street. A shooting spree unfolds as Julian Knight indiscriminately fires at passersby.
Tragic Losses. Multiple victims fall to Julian's gunfire, including a young mother and her child.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I'm an Australian soldier who is an expert in close combat.

Julian's commitment to his identity as a soldier.

0:57WatchNov 20, 2018

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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