MAN RUNS AMOK

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11735, 24 January 1924, Page 6

MAN RUNS AMOK

SHOOTING IN MELBOURNE. THREE DEAD, TWO WOUNDED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received January 24, 12.55 a-m.) MELBOURNE, January 23. A young man, believed to be an escaped lunatic, ran amok in the Botanic Gardens armed with a rifle, and commenced firing indiscriminately. He fatally shot three people, and seriously wounded two others, one of whom is not expected to recover. Armed police are searching for him, but ®o far the man has escaped capture. ADDITIONAL DETAILS. SHOT AT SHORT R ANGE By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright (Reoeived January 24, 1.30 a.m.) MELBOURNE, January 23. From the meagre details supplied to the police, mainly from hysterical women, it appears to have been a' little after 6 to-night when many people were in the gardens. The man was seen stealing along behind the trees with a rifle in his hands. The first victim was Mrs Stroheiker, who was sitting under a tree knitting, while her three children played nearby. The man stood behind a tree 100 yards distant, carefully aimed, and fired. Death was instantaneous. He then shot Mrs Perry, who was seated beneath a tree. The first shot must have appeared to

the lunatic not to have taken effect, for he deliberately fired again. ANOTHER VICTIM. His next victim was John Moxbam, who was seated with his wife drinking tea. His wife heard the shot, and saw her husband collapse, turned and saw the man with a smoking rifle behind a tree a short distance away. She jumped back into the nearby shrubs, and the man made off in the direction of the exit from the gardens into the domain. All the victims were shot at short range. Other bodies are lying in the mofguS awaiting identification. The search by armed mounted and foot police to a late hour was unsuccessful.