Police radio recordings moments before Bourke St massacre played at inquest
Frantic police radio recordings during the horror Bourke St attack have been aired at an inquest for the first time, revealing more about the final moments before the massacre that left six people dead.
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Police chasing Dimitrious Gargasoulas could be heard panicking that he would run down and kill people as he raced into the central city, moments before the Bourke St attack that left six people dead.
“Someone needs to take this vehicle out before he kills someone - get an opportunity,” an officer is heard saying on recordings played to an inquest into the massacre.
The harrowing six minutes played to the inquest records the moment Gargasoulas began to kill and wound innocent people going about their daily lives.
“Multiple victims, multiple victims we need as many units as possible to take him out,” an officer says.
A police operator then asks for an update.
They were told he had been shot and was in custody and the focus was now on “the victims” that were “all the way up Collins St”.
The horror of the January 20, 2017, carnage was heard on the police radio played during the first day of the inquest into the rampage.
“This car is a danger to pedestrians and is in the middle of Flinders and Swanston doing donuts,” one officer warns.
Moments later another is heard saying: “Someone needs to take this vehicle out before it kills someone ... get an opportunity.”
Police add the driver was armed with a knife, having just stabbed his brother, and very dangerous.
There were three police cars following him at the time, the recordings reveal.
Gargasoulas was tailed by police for hours before driving a stolen car through the CBD and mowing down dozens of pedestrians.
He was eventually shot and tasered after his car came to a halt.
Police transmissions detail attempts to catch the man they described as being in “maniacal psychotic state” and threatening to kill people.
During that time, he sped and drove erratically and evaded police.
He texted an officer who was trying to negotiate a peaceful arrest that he was “the saviour” and would not surrender.
WIDOW’S RAGE AT COP TACTICS
The widow of one of the Bourke St victims has slammed police for their actions on the day of the massacre.
Melinda Tan’s husband, Matthew Si, was one of the six people killed.
The architect was mowed down from behind as he walked back to work after having lunch with her.
CCTV captured the moment the architect was struck and his body sent flying into the air.
Ms Tan was scathing of the police, who she accused of being outsmarted by James Gargasoulas.
“They were never in control of the situation. He played them and he won,” she said.
She asked how the “collective” might of the force could not stop “one person in a car”.
Victoria Police recently announced a new policy around officers’ powers to stop drivers using cars as weapons. The timing was not lost on Ms Tan.
“It’s an irony the police’s new hostile driving policy was announced a month before the inquest began,” she said.
“It is not risk management if you only react after deaths.”
She said the Bail Justice who allowed the killer to be released six days before the attack also had questions to answer.
“The bail system continues to fail us and there will be another tragedy if no major changes are made,” she said.
She said they should have carefully looked at Gargasoulas’ criminal history.
“This negligence allowed him to carry out this murderous rampage,” she said.
Along with Mr Si, three-month-old Zachary Bryant, Thalia Hakin, 10, Jess Mudie, 22, Yosuke Kanno, 25, and Bhavita Patel, 33, were killed during the January 20, 2017 attack that wounded dozens of others.
Coroner Jacqui Hawkins is examining the effectiveness of the police response to the threat posed by Gargasoulas and the out-of-sessions bail hearing.
Before the killings Gargasoulas, in a stolen maroon Holden Commodore, was followed by up to 20 police units before they were ordered to abandon an earlier pursuit due to safety fears.
He had been weaving in and out of traffic, running red lights and at one stage managed to lose police behind him, while the air wing watching above was running out of fuel. An officer was told in a text Gargasoulas would not give up.
After the victims had been mowed down, police confirmed the priority was now “the victims” because Gargasoulas was in custody.
Coroner Hawkins said she was astounded more people did not die.
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“One by one these lives were extinguished. These six individuals were going about their day in peace. The murderous actions of the offender ended their lives,” she said.
She said he brought “horrific scenes of murder and carnage” to Melbourne and changed the city forever.
Counsel assisting the coroner, Stephen O’Meara, QC, said the police pursuit policy would be examined, as would the role of the Critical Incident Response Team.
He said there were “significant” differences of what police and the Bail Justice remembered of the hearing.
“Of present importance is the information presented to the Bail Justice … that issue will be addressed,” he said.
“This inquest will attempt to distil … lessons that may save lives in future.”
Gargasoulas, who suffers paranoid schizophrenia, was jailed in February for at least 46 years for what was described by the sentencing judge as one of Australia’s worst examples of mass murder.
At least 46 witnesses will be examined during the inquest, which is expected to run until December 20, but may be extended to February.