1987 | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Mass Shooting | Solved
TLDR
On the night of August 9, 1987, a 19-year-old former army cadet opened fire on cars and pedestrians along a busy Melbourne road for over 45 minutes. Seven people died. Nineteen were wounded. Julian Knight was convicted of all seven murders and remains in prison.
The Case
Hoddle Street in Clifton Hill, Melbourne, is a main arterial road. On the night of Sunday, August 9, 1987, it became a killing ground.
Julian Knight, 19, positioned himself in bushes at the intersection of Hoddle and Ramsey streets at around 9:30 p.m. He opened fire on passing cars with a semiautomatic rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun he had taken from the family home. Cars swerved off the road. Drivers and passengers were shot without warning. Pedestrians on the footpath were hit as they ran.
The shooting lasted approximately 45 minutes. By the time police contained the scene and Knight surrendered, seven people were dead: Gus Kinzett, 28; Louis Jovanovic, 25; Suzanne Wild, 28; Rodney Brown, 27; Nicole Maree Flack, 17; James Kolaitis, 30; and Winfield da Lima, 41. Nineteen others were wounded.
Knight told investigators he had been drinking heavily. He claimed grievances against the army, which had dismissed him after he was found to be a habitual liar. He offered no coherent motive for targeting strangers on Hoddle Street.
He was charged with seven counts of murder and 19 counts of attempted murder. At trial in 1988, his defense raised questions about his mental state. The jury rejected the diminished responsibility argument. Knight was convicted on all counts and sentenced to life imprisonment.
He became eligible for parole in 2014, but the Victorian government has repeatedly legislated to keep him in prison. As of 2025, he remains incarcerated.
Where to Find More
- Documentaries: The case is covered in an Australian true crime documentary series. ABC News Australia archives contain contemporaneous and anniversary reporting.
- Books: Running Amok by Margaret Scott (1997) is the most detailed account of the Hoddle Street and Queen Street massacres and the policy responses that followed.
- Podcasts: The case has been covered by Australian true crime podcasts. Search major platforms for Hoddle Street or Julian Knight.
