Julian Knight (born 4 March 1968) is the mass murderer who on 9 August 1987, shot dead seven people and injured 19 during a shooting spree in Clifton Hill, Victoria, in what became known in Australian history as the Hoddle Street Massacre.
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 the bloodiest massacre in Australian history since the Sydney Milperra massacre in September 1984, where six men and a 14-year-old girl were killed. As Knight was between 18-21, he was classed as a young adult offender under Victorian law, which enabled him to have a chance at rehabilitation
Below is a timeline of events which occurred on August 9, 1987 during,and leading up to the massacre.
9.29pm - Having consumed around ten pots of beer at a local pub, Knight leaves his mother's house armed with
a .22 calibre Ruger rifle,
a 12-gauge pump-action Mossberg shotgun and
a 7.62x51mm calibre Norinco M14 military rifle
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,"[1] 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
Hoddle street
The driver of this car was one of seven killed in Knight's attack
~Moloko
