Bourke St deaths: How the tragedy unfolded

POLICE today are piecing together the horrific events that sent shockwaves around Melbourne and left four dead, including a 10-year-old. This is what is known so far.

FOR most of Melbourne, the atrocity that was unleashed on the city began just before 1.30pm when the maroon Commodore began to cause havoc in front of the famous Flinders Station.

Doing doughnuts through the busy intersection — sending smoke into the air and the sound of tyres screeching — 26-year-old Dimitrious Gargasoulas was suddenly at centre stage of what quickly become a horror story for Melbourne.

But the drama actually began well before he left there and hurtled towards Bourke Street Mall.

During the early hours of Friday morning, police allege Gargasoulas was involved in a “family violence” incident at Windsor, in the south of the city. Specifically, it is alleged he stabbed his brother after a furious fight in the rain outside a unit.

He is then alleged to have stolen the commodore from his mother’s former boyfriend Gavin Wilson, 76. Mr Wilson claimed he was punched in the jaw and his bible burned and then thrust in his face.

Police seen on Swanston St after the mayhem began.

Police will this weekend begin to piece together what happened over the next 11 hours. But some things are already known.

Witnesses saw the commodore at Docklands, Yarraville and South Melbourne. He reportedly shouted: “Armageddon is coming. The end of the world’s going to come today. Watch the news.”

In a bizarre twist, he was filmed on live television as a reporter from the Nine Network filed a story about the stabbing. The images clearly show him behind the journalist giving the finger before speeding away.

At some stage in the morning, a young woman was taken hostage. How this occurred and what link, if any, she has to Gargasoulas will form part of the major homicide inquiry that is underway. No charges have yet been laid.

What is known is she escaped the vehicle at about 11.45am on the Bolte Bridge. The car was still moving when she escaped.

He had attracted the attention of police as well. Officers pursued him, although the exact route is unclear. The chase ended though just before he entered the CBD because police were worried about public safety.

Bourke St Mall was transformed into a crime scene.

People run inside a store as the car tears past in Melbourne CBD.

At 1.45pm, he appeared outside the Flinders Street station. The lunchtime crowds stopped and watched as he began driving round and round, with some trying to stop him. But there was little that could really be done.

One witness, Jessica Kershaw, said: “He was shouting, hanging out of the car and pointing his finger ... It looked like he was skidding out of control, but he kept going.”

Then he sped away. But there was much worse to come.

Gargasoulas allegedly then drove up Swanston Street before turning left into the busy Bourke St pedestrian mall. It is here where Melbourne’s nightmare really began.

The car struck several people here as many others ran for their lives. CCTV images showed just how close the car came to hitting many more, as members of the public dived into shops in sheer terror.

A baby is among the seriously injured.

One of the injured people in Bourke St. Picture: Tony Gough

There were scenes of absolute chaos in Melbourne. Picture: Tony Gough

The car crossed over to Elizabeth St, went over the curb and hit even more people. It eventually stopped at the corner of Bourke St and William St, and Gargasoulas was shot in the arm by police.

He was dragged from the car by heavily armed officers and handcuffed. Pictures of the arrest flooded Twitter.

Initially, it wasn’t obvious who the man was— wearing only red underpants, and being attended by emergency workers, many speculated it was an injured bystander.

Police later confirmed they had opened fire on him and made the arrest. Acting Commander Stuart Bateson said “the situation is contained” and quickly ruled out a terrorism link.

Behind where the commodore came to rest lay horrific scenes. Broken bodies littered the street. A pram was overturned, a baby critically injured. Four people were dead, and many others seriously injured.

The tram system was suspended and the public told to stay away from their central city while police focused on the injured.

The immediate danger had passed — but no one in Melbourne will ever forget the day their streets became a death zone.