michael ryan hungerford

The police officers at the scene did not apprehend him at this point, as they were unarmed. It was about 10 minutes since Mrs Jackson had asked her husband to return home and the two men had no idea of the danger into which they were heading. Storms survived the shooting. In addition to this, the local telephone exchange could not handle the amount of 999 calls that were being made, as Ryan wreaked havoc across the suburbs and people desperately tried phoning for help. On the sunny afternoon of August 19th, 1987, it was market day in Hungerford and Ryan went to Saverneck forest - a place he would often go to shoot his gun and sneak up on unsuspecting. Armed with an automatic rifle, a pistol and at least one. It wasnt long before investigators discovered, via ballistics analysis, that her death was connected to those that happened subsequently in Hungerford that afternoon. Mayor Tarry claimed it to be the day on which life in the town could begin once more. Dorothy Ryan tried to reason with her son. "It hasn't got any easier. Linda was hit in the shoulder and Alison in the right thigh. Now, he added a new dimension. The elder Mr and Mrs Wainwright had been about 300 yards from their son's house when Douglas Wainwright was shot in the head and Kathleen Wainwright in the chest and the hand. Former mummy blogger Clemmie Hooper is facing a midwifery misconduct hearing - three years after she confessed to trolling other influencers on a gossip forum. The result was police were often up to 40 minutes behind his movements. Read more: Amazing archive photos show the changing face of Reading in the 1960s, Read more: Caversham Park Village from the air 50 years ago. When PC Wainwright, wearing his off-duty clothes of shorts and a Fred Perry polo shirt, was called into his superior's office, he thought he was going to be told to put his uniform on. They survived, although Alison still has a bullet inside her. The police had already received a report, from George, of an armed robbery in progress at the petrol station and were en route to her. 33 years ago today, a sleepy Berkshire town was rocked by one of the most shocking mass shootings ever seen in the UK. Eric Vardy, a carpenter and van driver for Norland Nursery College, was on his way with passenger, Steven Ball, to a builders supplier. "I assumed it had been some sort of accident with glass and that Lisa had been cut," she says. Harries later received the Queens Commendation for Brave Conduct. It's testament to her own strength of mind that she did. Residents of the area were becoming increasingly worried as they continued to call for emergency help and none arrived. "If he had the choice - to die from a horrible disease like that, or be shot, I know he'd choose the bullet. He carried on, shooting Mrs Godfrey 13 times until he ran out of ammunition. Ryan, an unemployed handyman, also injured 15 people in the horrific attack before turning the gun on himself. "I thought: 'How the hell can I go and see her if they're all blaming me? A former school friend remembers a teenage Ryan boasting of spying on and stalking people there. He returned to South View to find bodies on the ground and was asked by police to identify them. Flowers began arriving at the town hall, where the flag flew at half-mast. "My brother and sister-in-law were on the list.". Despite his elaborate fantasies, however, Ryan was not mentally ill. Medical reports show he had no history of mental illness - in fact, his doctor had countersigned Ryan's gun applications. However, they stipulated that Ryan install a suitable Chubb steel cabinet in which to safely lock his weapons. When, in March 1996 Thomas Hamilton shot dead 16 schoolchildren and their teacher in the Stirling town of Dunblane, Trevor Wainwright decided to write to the Scottish police. Ryans school friend remembers his mother would buy the boy whatever he wanted, but his father "couldnt be played" and "wore the trousers" in the house. Marcus Barnard, a local taxi driver, had been a father for just five weeks when he was shot dead. While Ryan roamed Hungerford, murdering and maiming people he'd known for years, a woman lay dead in Savernake Forest. They'll do what we did. In the neighbouring forest he found Godfreys body, about 250 feet from her car. As they drove up Tarrants Hill, their windscreen was shattered by a spray of bullets and Vardy was hit twice, under the chin and in the torso. News crews at John O'Gaunt School in Hungerford, Berkshire, where Michael Robert Ryan committed suicide following the Hungerford Massacre. What happened in the woods is the clue to why the shootings happened, Prof Jackson believes. He died instantly from chest wounds. ", PC Roger Brereton's funeral was held near Newbury. S02:E03 - Michael Ryan - the Hungerford Massacre. Over the moon at the news of his father's survival, PC Wainwright telephoned his brothers and sister. One of the Tactical Firearms Unit climbed onto the school roof and with a mirror on a long pole, managed to see into the classroom at last. Fifteen other people were also shot but survived. "I told her he had tattoos, was about 6ft 1in and had grey hair. Another reporter followed their sister home from the hospital. I knew I had to be the strong one of the family, I knew Ivor wouldn't cope.". I thought I was safe.". Sent them away.". It's not known whether Ryan spent a long time watching Sue Godfrey, a 35-year-old nurse who had stopped with her two young children for a picnic lunch. Then she phoned the building firm where her husband Ivor was a bricklayer, and asked for a message to be passed on. He told people he had served in the Second Parachute Regiment of the British armed forces, that he was getting married, and that he owned a gun shop. Having created a fort for himself in the Gibbs home, Ryan fired at neighbouring houses, injuring a man at number 62 and a woman at number 67 Priory Road.Ian Playle, a 34-year-old clerk to the Justices at Newbury Magistrates Court, had brought his wife, Elizabeth, and their two young children, Richard and Sarah, to Hungerford on a shopping trip. Sixteen people were killed and 15 more were seriously injured in what was the UK's worst mass. Next to him, in the passenger seat, Ivor Jackson was also shot in his arm, chest and head. He tried pulling the trigger twice more, but both times the rifle failed to fire. The Hungerford Massacre on August 19, 1987, saw 16 people killed in a. Dr Yardley believes Ryan was attempting to wrest some sort of control from society. Having murdered Mrs Godfrey, Ryan headed back to Hungerford in his Vauxhall Astra GTE, stopping at Froxfield filling station. 2 - Sheila Mason Seven minutes after saying this, at 18:52, he shot himself in the head. They flew the police helicopter past the window, but could not see in to the classroom. People were said to have run into the streets chanting, The bastards dead, the bastards dead, whilst children cycled around on their bikes, yelling Good riddance, and people in pubs toasted his death. He would become extremely angry if people did not believe him and his mother would often confirm these lies to people, in a desperate effort to help her son feel better. "It's funny, I've killed all those people but I don't have the guts to blow my own brains out.". That's not him. It was on August 19 1987 that loner and gun fanatic Michael Ryan went on a shooting rampage in Hungerford, a market town in Berkshire. He adds that an overindulgent mother could also have led to Ryan never taking responsibility for his actions - a personality trait common to many spree killers. It transpired that they were the parents of the police officer who had run all the checks on Ryan when he had applied for a modified licence, to own more powerful firearms. She was inordinately lucky not to have been shot by him. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of Terms and Conditions. There was a police guard on the front door so he had sneaked through the garden and into the house through the back door. He was shot three times in the groin and the leg with the AK-47 rifle and died where he fell. Instead she found Ryan, who shot her once. Even now Mr Jackson has not been back to South View. Mrs Gibbs died several days later, in hospital. The other three ducked down on the floor but Ryan fired at Lisa. Without replying, Ryan shot his mother twice in the stomach and once in the leg. Michael used to play at Mrs Jackson's home with one of her sons. The dog and its pursuer rounded a bend before disappearing from view. He believes Ryan would get an illicit sexual thrill during his woodland trips and obtain pleasure and a sense of accomplishment from following and watching people unseen. This powerful mix of emotions is often later expressed in an inappropriately violent response. The Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, who was on holiday in Cornwall at the time, was notified of the events and kept informed via a special phone line from Downing Street. 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After the murders, though, visitors were less satisfied by remaining in the attractive main street. Trevor Wainwright says he is "haunted" by his father's death. Maybe he was distracted; maybe he enjoyed the power of sparing Mrs Wainwright's life. He took the firearms, packed the pockets of his flak jacket with ammunition and marched off down the road. He liked to think of himself as a soldier, skilled at surveillance without being seen himself. Also, he had never before bought so much petrol at one time, making Dean suspicious, so she kept an eye on him.Whilst Dean served another customer, Ian George, Ryan went to the boot of his car and brought out a semi-automatic rifle. The bullet had passed through his skull and shattered his brain. John O'Gaunt School in Hungerford, Berkshire, where Michael Robert Ryan committed suicide following the Hungerford Massacre, 8th September 1987. Amongst others also later commended for their bravery were ambulance-women Hazel Haslett and Linda Bright, who had been shot at by Ryan but who had continued working selflessly late into the night to help other victims.It was reported in the tabloid newspapers that following the public announcement of Ryans death, the people of Hungerford reacted with relieved delight. He was making his way to a part-time gardening job in the nearby village of Inkpen. On 19 August 1987, the 27-year-old loner was in licensed possession of two shotguns, three pistols and two semi-automatic rifles. The couple and their two grown-up sons now live in a two-bedroom council house a few streets away. "I didnt know by doing that, by asking him to come home, I was just leading them both into danger.". By now, the name of the gunman was circulating. They were armed with .38 Smith and Wessons, which were no match for Ryans arsenal.Four and three quarter hours after the police had first been informed of Ryan, he was finally spotted at one of the schools third floor classroom windows at 5.26 pm. Select from premium Hungerford Michael Ryan of the highest quality. She remembers Michael as quiet and polite. Moving up Fairview Road, Ryan found neighbour, Abdul Khan, 84, a retired restaurateur, mowing the lawn in his back garden. He used his semi-automatic rifle to strafe the front door and open it. He found low-paid work as a caretaker at a girls school. She was hit in the legs and the hips. Why are you doing this?. What happened to the Hatton Garden burglars? He arrived back in South View in time to set fire to his home, shoot his dog, chase another dog, and take three guns from his car before killing Mr and Mrs Mason at 12:47. "You know, it's funny. Police were still hunting for the gunman in their midst. 19th August 1987. Whilst she waited for help to arrive, she watched Ryan jog up and down the road, shooting at anything that moved. Betty Tolladay, 71, had heard loud bangs, and thinking it was children playing with firecrackers, had come out into her back garden to shout at them to keep the noise down. Ms Haslett reversed rapidly and she and her partner escaped with only minor injuries. Ryan was a shy child with a keen interest in the military. Then the nurse came back. Mildenhall survived the shooting.Kenneth Clements was walking along the footpath with his family, towards South View, when Ryan appeared and shot him once, killing him instantly. Still shooting, Ryan then walked to the end of the road, went along a footpath and made his way across some playing fields. He would also brag to people about things he had not done, in a string of lies that made him seem far more capable and experienced than he actually was. Ryan has also been documented on internet sites devoted to mass murder. Here he shot her 13 times, dropped the groundsheet and returned to parking area. If this was his plan, it fell to pieces when his car would not restart. The fact was that they were prevented from entering the danger zone, for fear of being shot themselves. I thought he'd come in and kill them.". An only child, Michael Robert Ryan was born on 18 May 1960 in the Savernake hospital, Hungerford. Ryan was finally cornered and an armed officer trained his sights on him. Rather than getting away from the carnage in South View, he started to check the houses to find and help the injured. Having chased the spaniel away, Ryan returned. Ambulance driver Hazel Haslett arrived minutes later. "[Mr Ryan] was quite the bully. "I got into the house and slammed the door. He threw his Kalashnikov out of the window, leaving him with only his 9mm Beretta and ammunition. 15 - Ian Playle, Susan Godfrey was shot and killed in Savernake Forest. "I didnt know the Masons at No. Victims were taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital in Swindon. Just after midday, on 19 August 1987, the 27-year-old unemployed Ryan entered a secluded area of Savernake Forest. I could smell cordite in the air. He continually asked about his mother and how she was. "'Some blokes gone mad with a gun', they said. He put some petrol in his car and some in a canister. Other victims included Susan Godfrey, of Reading, who was killed while picnicking with her children; Roland and Sheila Mason, who were killed in their home; Kenneth Clements, who was shot while walking to Hungerford Common. George White and PC Roger Brereton were in their cars when they were shot. His wife and children had been in the car but were unhurt. Then he shot at Mrs Dean and sped back to South View where he set fire to his home and shot dead his dog, Blackie. His wife and children were unhurt. "We got a letter from the Queen," Mr Jackson adds. She ducked below her counter just as a bullet pierced the safety glass above it and ricocheted through the small shop behind her. Mrs Pascoe stemmed the bleeding and stayed with the girl until an ambulance arrived. The loss affected him profoundly and he became increasingly withdrawn, often going off alone to the shooting range, or working on cars. Ryan's mother consistently pandered to her husband and son so Michael saw her as someone who was there to do things for him and essentially serve him - so he felt a sense of entitlement to treat her however he wanted.". He needed numerous operations and still suffers, both physically and mentally. One man was injured. Similarly the Whitings, for years, simply drew their curtains and refused to answer the door. He chased me all the way. Then he shot himself. He had a few friends but always shied away from any sporting or social events at school. This seemed to fit the profile of Michael Ryan. It's difficult. 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