| Melbourne Office Massacre |
Wednesday 9th December 1987:
| Melbourne Office Massacre |
A military style random shooting attack in a Melbourne office building has left nine people dead and five more seriously injured.
A 22-year-old gunman shot visitors and staff randomly as he stalked through offices in the Australia Post Building in Queen Street yesterday, then attempting to jump from the eleventh floor. as office workers struggled to stop him. but the ma, identified as Frank Viktovik, broke free of the workers' grasp and plummeted to his death.
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The Assistant Police Commissioner, (Crime), Mr Vaughan Werner, said Vitkovik's shootings resulted from a 'personal problem', though not a normal domestic argument.. He said the man was known to police, but did not have a criminal record.
No motive has of yet been found for the killing spree, but a police spokesperson said Vitkovic apparently entered the building with the intention of shooting people.
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Vitkovic's rampage began at about 4.20pm when he entered the building and went to the fifth floor where he shot at an aquaintance in the office of the Telecom Credit Co-operative. The shots missed, and the man ran from the office. Vitkovic then ran upwards through several floors, shooting randomly at office workers, who ran in different directions or dived below desks. On his way he shot several people sitting at their desks. Police say 60 shots were fired.
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On the eleventh floor, Vitkovic attempted to jump out of the window, but was stopped by office workers who grabbed his legs as he tried to throw himself out. Witnesses said he struggled and kicked with the people holding his legs, eventually breaking free and falling to his death.
Vitkovic was armed with a military-style high powered weapon available over the counter of 'any gun store' according to an arms expert. He used standard military ammunition, which is usually cheaper to buy than hunting ammunition.
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