Armed Mystery Man Walked Through Melbourne Days After Six People Died In a Massacre
March 22, 2017 | Security
This armed man was seen in Bourke St mall five days after a massacre in the central Melbourne street that killed six people.
A man dressed in commando gear and carrying a semi-automatic gun was able to stroll unchecked through central Melbourne in the days following the massacre that killed six people in the Australian city.
The troubling security breach - which occurred when Victorians were told authorities were on high alert to ensure the safety of Melbourne's CBD - is now subject to a full police investigation.
Police were only alerted to the man's presence in the Bourke St mall after Fairfax sent them an image of the armed man.
The man wanders through a crowded Bourke St mall a few days after six people died there.
They refused to explain why he was not approached earlier or why he has not since been charged.
On January 20, a car allegedly driven by Dimitrious Gargasoulas ploughed into dozens of people in Melbourne's CBD, killing six and leaving 31 in hospital.
He appeared to be armed with a Glock semi-automatic 9mm handgun.
Five days later, a man armed with what appeared to be a Glock semi-automatic 9mm handgun, and dressed in a black tactical vest, a black shirt, and dark cargo pants, was seen walking through the mall.
It appeared as if the man also carried a spare magazine for the handgun in a pouch on his belt.
The man wandered through crowds of people, many of whom were laying flowers as a tribute to the victims of the tragedy.
The armed man wandered among people laying flowers at the makeshift monument in central Melbourne.
While the man did not have any identification displayed, and was not wearing a uniform, he appeared to be working as a private security guard.
Fairfax sent police images of the man on the afternoon of January 25. It is understood officers spoke to him him later that day.
It was found the man did not have a firearms licence and was not a registered security guard, though he was working for a security company.
The wreckage of the car used in the street rampage sits inside a police cordon in Bourke Street mall.
A Victoria Police spokesman said the company's private security business licence and corporate firearm licence have since been suspended by the licensing and regulation division while the investigation continued.
A spokesman refused to name the company or give any details about why the man was armed in Bourke Street that day.
It is unclear whether the company had been contracted to provide services in the CBD on January 25, or whether the man was there in another capacity.
Police keep people away from the scene of the rampage.
The police spokesman confirmed that the man had been interviewed, but had not been charged with any criminal offence.
"Private security businesses providing services are responsible for ensuring that any individuals they employ are the holders of appropriately endorsed and valid licences.
"Businesses who fail to do so could face charges.
Members of the public are given medical treatment after a car was driven into pedestrians. Six people were killed in the incident.
"As investigations are ongoing we are unable to provide any further comment."
Under Victorian regulations, the man would have had to hold a private security licence and a firearms licence to be able to carry the weapon. His employer would have faced even stricter requirements.
Security and firearm licensing is subject to strict background checks and cooling-off periods, and costs the applicant hundreds of dollars.
Peter Johnson, the Australian Security Industry Association's compliance and regulatory affairs advisor, said having armed guards working while unregistered was exceptionally rare.
"It just doesn't happen," he said.
"Could mistakes happen, yes they could, but [with] the checks and balances put in place by Victoria Police, a person should not be able to do that type of work."
FOR THE HIGHEST QUALITY PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS, CALL THE INVESTIGATORS NOW ON 0800 747 633, OR CLICK HERE TO EMAIL US CONFIDENTIALLY.
- Article originally on stuff.co.nz.
