Non-fatal injuries 22 | Start date March 27, 1986 | |
Total number of deaths 1 (Constable Angela Taylor) Similar Hoddle Street massacre, Queen Street massacre, Strathfield massacre, Port Arthur massacre | ||
Atv 10 eyewitness news thursday march 27 1986 russell street bombing
The Russell Street bombing was the 27 March 1986 bombing of the Russell Street Police Headquarters complex in Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Contents
- Atv 10 eyewitness news thursday march 27 1986 russell street bombing
- Russell street bombing
- Explosion
- Investigations
- Arrests
- Trial
- References
Russell street bombing
Explosion
The explosion was caused by a car bomb hidden in a stolen 1979 Holden Commodore. The blast seriously injured 21-year-old Constable Angela Taylor, who died on 20 April, becoming the first Australian policewoman to be killed in the line of duty. Twenty-two other people were injured.
The explosion caused massive amounts of damage to the police HQ and surrounding buildings, estimated at more than A$1 million. A newspaper, The Age, reported that the blast had had such an impact because the open-floor design of the offices had acted like a Claymore mine, sending more shrapnel as the blast ripped through the floors, seemingly adding more pressure to the blast as it followed its path. In 1995, police headquarters moved to the Victoria Police Centre with the old headquarters many years later redeveloped into an apartment complex.
In the course of the investigation, a group of people including Craig Minogue, Rodney Minogue, Stan Taylor, and Peter Reed, were apprehended. The motive for the bombing seems to have been revenge against the police, as the bombers had previously been arrested and still resented their jail terms. In court, Taylor, Reed and Craig Minogue were convicted; Rodney Minogue was eventually acquitted on appeal.
Investigations
On 7 October 1985, gelignite and detonators were stolen from the Tryconnel Mine at Blackwood. On 25 March 1986, a Holden Commodore was stolen. Both crimes were later found to provide equipment needed for the construction of the bomb.
Arrests
On 25 April 1986, ten Victoria Police officers raided the Kallista home of Peter Michael Reed at 5.45 am. It was alleged that upon attempting to enforce the arrest by forcing entry to the premises, Reed produced a .455 Smith & Wesson revolver and fired at police, seriously wounding Detective Sergeant Wylie. Reed was then fired upon by Det. Sgt. Quinsee and arrested. Wylie later recovered, but eventually left the police force and, in mid-2014, he committed suicide, aged 61.
Reed was charged with attempted murder, recklessly causing serious injury, using a firearm to prevent apprehension and possessing explosives in suspicious circumstances in addition to charges related to the Russell Street bombing. Reed later reportedly stated at his trial in unsworn evidence that "the police started the shooting and I only used [my] firearm in self defence."
Trial
The Crown did not allege that any person played any particular role in the bombing, but that each of them were members of a team which planned the bombing and caused the bomb to explode. Evidence against the accused was as follows: