Rodney John Dale: The ‘satanic slayer’ behind shooting spree in Burleigh Heads in 1990

A man who became known as the ‘satanic slayer’ opened fired in central Burleigh Heads with two rifles after writing the word ‘satan’ in his own blood on the wall of his unit. FULL STORY

It was just before 4pm when Rodney John Dale stepped out on his balcony armed with both a .223 calibre, semiautomatic rifle and shotgun and opened fire.

It was April 7, 1990 and Dale’s shooting spree in central Burleigh Heads lasted just 15 minutes but it left one woman dead, seven injured and a suburb changed forever.

The horror incident, 35 years ago last month, was one of the Gold Coast’s most infamous crimes and made international headlines.

The location of the shooting on the day of the incident.

Dale, later dubbed “the Satanic Slayer”, was 26 years old at the time and working as a panel beater but was harbouring dark impulses to kill.

He told police during an interview following the shooting spree that he had been thinking about it for years before quitting his job to spend three weeks preparing for it.

He told police ”it was something he had to do’’ and that he “didn’t want to kill women or kids’’ but that he “knew he had to kill someone’’.

Rodney Dale spelled out Satan with his own blood on the wall of his Burleigh Heads unit.

On the day of the shooting, Dale had been drinking and taking drugs with two friends at his unit in Tweed Street where they helped him carve “666” into his hands.

Using his own blood, he wrote the word “Satan” on the wall of his unit and left a note for his girlfriend.

“Deb, gone hunting, love Rodney.”

Dressed entirely in black, wearing a balaclava and with gun bandoliers strapped to his chest and waist, Dale stepped out on his balcony and opened fire on the street and the nearby Burleigh Heads Caravan Park.

Rodney John Dale.

More than 44 shots were fired from the balcony before he walked down to the street and continued shooting at anyone he saw, while yelling out “we’ll win” and “children of Satan”.

During his spree, Dale opened fire on elderly couple Llewellyn and Kathleen Lewis.

Mrs Lewis died at the scene.

Meanwhile a limousine carrying a wedding party was also peppered with bullets, injuring all inside.

A map of the scene.

Among those who ran to help were security guards John Gooch and Drew Fisher, who told the Bulletin at the time what he witnessed.

“He was screeching with laughter from the moment he opened fire,” Mr Fisher said in 1990.

“It was a crazed, madman’s laugh.”

Also on the scene and armed was police Sergeant Bob Baker who heard the shots, grabbed his gun and ran from the Burleigh station towards the gunfire, while not wearing a bulletproof vest.

“I heard shooting and immediately grabbed a gun,” he said at the time.

“I called to the bloke to put down the gun but he started firing at me.

Security guard Drew Fisher helped take down Rodney Dale.

Sgt Bob Baker shot Rodney Dale, before arresting him.

“I don’t know why he didn’t hit me. He had a shotgun and normally you wouldn’t miss with those.

“I knew if I fired there was no one else I could hurt because he was standing in front of an empty social security office.

“My main worry was that his shots were going past me towards the pub which was full of people.’’

Dale, pictured during the shooting.

Sgt Barker returned fire and successfully wounded Dale, who was subdued with the help of Mr Fisher and Mr Gooch.

Dale pleaded guilty in July 1991 to the murder of Kathleen Lewis and the attempted murder of 13 others who were wounded in his spree.

He was sentenced to life in prison by Justice Brian Ambrose.

“The fact that others were not killed was more a matter of luck than design on your part,’’ Justice Ambrose said at the time.

Justice Ambrose told the court during the sentencing hearing that he “doubted Dale would ever be considered for parole if he held to his belief in Satanism.”