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| Darwin shooting: police called about behaviour of alleged killer before shootings | Darwin shooting: police called about behaviour of alleged killer before shootings |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The 45-year-old man suspected of carrying out the Darwin shooting came to the attention of the police twice on Tuesday, hours before the deadly attack. | The 45-year-old man suspected of carrying out the Darwin shooting came to the attention of the police twice on Tuesday, hours before the deadly attack. |
| With police set to charge the suspected gunman later on Thursday, details about the motivation continue to emerge. | |
| The Northern Territory police commissioner Reece Kershaw revealed on Tuesday that the ammunition used during the shooting was purchased earlier that day by “a well-known associate” of the gunman, and that the shooter may have been in-part motivated by “an issue relating to a female”. | |
| It has also emerged that one of the victims was 52-year-old New Zealand national Robert Courtney, a security guard at a Darwin casino who police believe was deliberately targeted by the gunman. | |
| Kershaw also revealed that a member of the public called police to an address outside of Darwin before the shooting on Tuesday after reports of a man acting suspiciously. | |
| Kershaw said police were called to an address in Humpty Doo at about 5pm after reports of a man acting suspiciously and possibly under the influence of drugs. He said by the time officers arrived at 5.20pm the man had left. | Kershaw said police were called to an address in Humpty Doo at about 5pm after reports of a man acting suspiciously and possibly under the influence of drugs. He said by the time officers arrived at 5.20pm the man had left. |
| Asked by reporters on Thursday whether the man was armed at the time, Kershaw said: “Possibly, yes, there was a sighting of a firearm but we’re working through that.” | Asked by reporters on Thursday whether the man was armed at the time, Kershaw said: “Possibly, yes, there was a sighting of a firearm but we’re working through that.” |
| It was the second time the man had come to police attention that day. | It was the second time the man had come to police attention that day. |
| At about 10.52am police pulled the man over for doing 94km/h in a 80km/h speeding zone on the Arnhem Highway driving a silver Proton. | At about 10.52am police pulled the man over for doing 94km/h in a 80km/h speeding zone on the Arnhem Highway driving a silver Proton. |
| He said that a review of the officer’s body-worn camera showed “he was not displaying any adverse behaviour. Nothing out of the ordinary was observed by the officer”. Police issued the man a speeding infringement notice but did not search the man’s car. | He said that a review of the officer’s body-worn camera showed “he was not displaying any adverse behaviour. Nothing out of the ordinary was observed by the officer”. Police issued the man a speeding infringement notice but did not search the man’s car. |
| Asked whether officers should have searched his car given his parole status, Kershaw said there was “no reasonable suspicion” to allow a search. | Asked whether officers should have searched his car given his parole status, Kershaw said there was “no reasonable suspicion” to allow a search. |
| The gunman was also clocked speeding by two mobile speed cameras at 11.03am and 12.25pm. | The gunman was also clocked speeding by two mobile speed cameras at 11.03am and 12.25pm. |
| Kershaw said he was satisfied with the police response in the lead-up to the shooting. | Kershaw said he was satisfied with the police response in the lead-up to the shooting. |
| “Look, my information is he spent quite a long time out there going from address to address,” Kershaw said. “The call that went in around about 5pm … we were dispatched and arrived at around about 5.20pm. I’m very satisfied with our response of when he was alleged to be in Humpty Doo.” | “Look, my information is he spent quite a long time out there going from address to address,” Kershaw said. “The call that went in around about 5pm … we were dispatched and arrived at around about 5.20pm. I’m very satisfied with our response of when he was alleged to be in Humpty Doo.” |
| Kershaw also revealed the ammunition and knife used in the attack were bought legally that day by a third party who was “a well-known associate” of the gunman. Kershaw said it was “not clear yet” whether the third party was an accomplice to the shooting. | Kershaw also revealed the ammunition and knife used in the attack were bought legally that day by a third party who was “a well-known associate” of the gunman. Kershaw said it was “not clear yet” whether the third party was an accomplice to the shooting. |
| On Tuesday the gunman killed four people in a deadly hour-long shooting rampage throughout Darwin. Using a stolen pump-action shotgun, he moved from the Palms Motel in Darwin to a home in the inner-city suburb of the Gardens, the Buff Club and an industrial site in the suburb of Woolner. | |
| The gunman, who has a long criminal history, was on parole after being released from prison in January after serving four years of a six year sentence. He breached his parole in April after missing his 10pm curfew and was detained for two weeks. | |
| It comes as more details emerge about the victims in the deadly shooting. One of the victims was Robert Courtney, a 52-year-old New Zealand national who worked as a security guard at the Darwin casino. | |
| Resort manager Mark Bennett said in a statement Courtney was a “valued member of our security team and we extend out deepest sympathies to his family and friends at this difficult time”. | |
| The gunman’s victim at the Palms Motel was 33-year-old PhD student and taxi driver Hassan Baydoun, who was taking a meal break when he was killed. | |
| Kershaw said police believed Courtney and the as-yet unidentified 57-year-old killed at the Buff Club were targeted killings, while Baydoun and the 75-year-old man from the Gardens were not known to the gunman. | |
| Multiple witnesses have said that while at the motel, the gunman was yelling out for a man named “Alex”, who police said on Wednesday had been interstate. Asked about the nature of the gunman’s dispute with “Alex”, Kershaw said it may have been related to a woman. | Multiple witnesses have said that while at the motel, the gunman was yelling out for a man named “Alex”, who police said on Wednesday had been interstate. Asked about the nature of the gunman’s dispute with “Alex”, Kershaw said it may have been related to a woman. |
| “There may or may not have been an issue relating to a female involved in this, so there was a number of issues that were actually avenues of inquiry that we are following in relation to that,” Kershaw said. | “There may or may not have been an issue relating to a female involved in this, so there was a number of issues that were actually avenues of inquiry that we are following in relation to that,” Kershaw said. |
| He also said there may have been a drug motivation. | He also said there may have been a drug motivation. |
| Darwin shooting | Darwin shooting |
| Crime - Australia | Crime - Australia |
| Australian police and policing | Australian police and policing |
| Northern Territory | Northern Territory |
| Police | Police |
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