On April 28, 1996, Martin Bryant pulled out an AR-15 rifle and began indiscriminately strafing the crowd in Port Arthur, Tasmania— eventually killing 35 people.
Martin Bryant was sentenced to 1,652 years in prison
Looking back at Bryant's upbringing, death seems to have followed him since childhood.
A neighbor in his hometown remembers one day when young Bryant often shot parrots nearby. Animal carcasses often appear on Bryant's farms. However, no one expected that this little boy next to him would actually create such a terrible massacre.
April 28, 1996, was the worst mass shooting in Australian history. But it was also the last time – because Australia's federal and local governments have imposed stricter restrictions on firearms, even banning many weapons altogether. But most Australians will never forget Bryant's grim face and the damage he caused.
Martin Bryant's disturbing early years
Unfortunately, Bryant's early life, in addition to his childhood penchant for animal cruelty, now looks back and shows a lot of weird behavior.
In his 20s, Bryant met a wealthy woman. Shortly after she made her will to leave bryant millions of dollars, the woman was killed in a car accident in which Bryant was sitting in the passenger seat.
The following year, Bryant's father disappeared and was later found drowning on his family's farm, bryant's diving counterweight belt wrapped around the corpse's chest and the carcass of a sheep nearby.
When the police investigate the death of his father, Bryant laughs and jokes with them. Bryant later inherited his father's life savings.
With this wealth, Bryant began hoarding guns. On April 28, 1996, he went on a killing spree, leaving permanent wounds on Australia.
Port Arthur Massacre
On the morning of April 28, 1996, Bryant walked into the Seaview Hotel and shot and killed the owner. Then he walked to the Broad Arrow Cafe and ordered lunch.
After eating, Bryant pulled out a Colt AR-15 rifle and shot 12 people in 15 seconds.
The Port Arthur Historic Site was once a 19th-century penal colony.
Bryant then went to a gift shop and killed eight more people. Then he walked to the parking lot and shot at the tour bus.
Eventually, after killing 31 people, Bryant fled back to the homestay. On the way, he shot another victim and took a hostage.
The killing took only 22 minutes. But it took a long time to capture Bryant.
18 hour confrontation with sea views
Police quickly surrounded the Seaview Hotel.
He has been shooting at the police. Police knew there were hostages inside, but weren't sure if there were anyone else.
Seaview Guest House, which is where the holocaust began and ended
After an 18-hour stalemate with police shooting, Bryant set the hotel on fire in an attempt to escape in the confusion.
Special Operations Commander Hank Timmerman said: "He set fire to this place, and as a result he himself was burned. "His clothes were also on fire, so we had to extinguish him and arrest him."
During the standoff, Bryant killed the hostages. The Port Arthur Massacre claimed 35 lives.
Bryant's massacre changed Australia's gun laws
After the Port Arthur massacre, Australia's prime minister announced that he would reform the gun code.
The new law prohibits the use of automatic and semi-automatic long guns. Gun owners must apply for a license and provide a "real reason" beyond personal protection to possess a firearm.
Australia also launched a gun buyback program, which eventually destroyed 650,000 guns.
The buyback program alone has reduced gun suicides by 74 percent, saving 200 lives a year. Since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, there has not been a single mass shooting in Australia.
As for Bryant, he confessed to 35 murder counts and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Australia's response to Port Arthur contrasted with the inaction of the United States in the aftermath of the mass shooting.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer said during the massacre. "We are taking action. The United States is not prepared to take action on their tragedy. ”
In 2022, Bryant is still serving his sentence in prison.