The Hungerford Massacre

[onthebusesfan]

The Hungerford massacre was a series of random shootings in Hungerford, Berkshire, United Kingdom, on 19 August 1987, when Michael Robert Ryan, an unemployed antique dealer and handyman, fatally shot 16 people, before taking his own life. Does Anyone Remember This Or Being Around There At That Time or near it when it happened.

[Twocky61]

Re: The Hungerford Massacre

Yes On the Buses fan I remember it vividly

There is a joke about this affair but enough said

As well as Michael Ryan there was also Thomas Hamilton re. the Dunblane affair

[Twocky61]

Re: The Hungerford Massacre

With the Dunblane affair Hamilton was actually a holder of a firearms license

Pre the Dunblane affair Hamilton's license was up for renewal

Concerns were raised with the police, from people questioning about Hamilton's suitability to have his license renewed. Hamilton had his license renewed despite these concerns. The higher rank police officer ignored these concerns and renewed his license regardless

Does that make said police officer partly culpable?

I guess not as how can anyone know what another person is thinking/planning?

[staffslad]

Re: The Hungerford Massacre

The Hungerford and Dunblane massacres I remember very well from the TV coverage at the time. They stand out in my mind far more clearly than equivalent US atrocities as, thankfully, they are comparitively rare over here, though, of course, even once is one time too many.

[Twocky61]

Re: The Hungerford Massacre

Bringing this up to date:

Now we have people who have no regard to who they target

For example, the London Bridge affair, where someone hired a van and veered onto the pavement killing & maiming people who happened to be walking across the bridge at that moment in time

There are many like offences across the world

Sometimes these people are 'Lone Wolf's,' not a member of any terrorist group. They have seen in the news and read online the causes these groups believe in & been brainwashed (mainly)

As the Tears For Fears/Gary Jewel's Mad World says it really is a mad world

[onthebusesfan]

Re: The Hungerford Massacre

Yeah That Was Bloody Isis I Think Twocky, and when the bomber done the manchester concert ariana grande that was a such a shock as well,no-one should of died that night kids teens adults enjoying a nice gig and then pure hell.

[Twocky61]

Re: The Hungerford Massacre

MI5/MI6 have known suspects on their radar. That's all very well for those they are aware of. What you can't prevent are those 'lone wolf's' mentioned above

There is one major problem; the internet

Anyone can post anything on line. Social network platforms can't delete everything posted on their site due to the sheer number of people registered on those sites

Facebook's policy is all members have to be over thirteen. An 8 year old kid can create an account giving a fake date of birth making him/her appear to be over 13

Likewise many forums/chatrooms

There is of course the 'dark internet'

I have seen material on YT & other broadcast platforms that are very realistic; not at all models acting
So with the internet stretching all over the world there is very little the security services can do to police things online

GCHQ monitor internet/phone activity but there is so much material they can never monitor all of it

[Richard1978]

Re: The Hungerford Massacre

I was reading something about The Hungerford Massacre recently & compared it to what I remember it to what I recalled from the time.

Being able to buy such powerful guns really surprised me, luckily the rules were quickly changed, like the ones regarding handguns after the Dunblane Massacre.