Melbourne CBD incident. 6 dead. Many more injured.

[Pies4shaw]

A couple of observations from someone who accidentally walked through the area of carnage a couple of minutes after it happened.

First, the reporting was either remarkably inaccurate or deliberately censored - I walked up Elizabeth St from Collins and left into Bourke St (that is, heading west up the hill) and then crossed Bourke St at the lights opposite Mcdonalds. I told my wife in a telephone conversation at 1.37pm that I'd walked past between 6 and 8 people (all adults) in that half-block who were lying prone on the pavement, all face down and bleeding. They were all in such a bad way that I thought they must have been shot in the head at close range (which was obviously not the case). It was apparent to me that many, many people had been very seriously injured (or worse) and that the early reports of injuries were serious under-estimates.

Secondly, there were a lot of police apparently confused about what had happened (or, perhaps, at that stage, was still happening). There were no early attempts to secure the area (hence me and thousands of others like me being able to walk to and through the area, completely unaware of any problem until we got there) and there seemed to have been no effective efforts to anticipate where the perpetrator might go or what he might do. And, after the event, there were no prompt efforts to keep people away. So, eg, in order to get to the mall, I got on the tram in Collins St at William St. At that stage the police helicopter was circling close by - as I now realise, it was obviously circling at that time above the Flinders St/Swanston St intersection. Perhaps it was unthinkable to the police that this idiot would proceed up the two pedestrian malls but, from where he was, it would seem to me to have been a serious (and probably by far the most dangerous) possibility. In any event, quite a bit of time passed between me getting on the tram with the helicopter circling and me wandering blithely through the middle of the crime scene and it is rather surprising to me that the area wasn't secured more effectively and more quickly.

Thirdly, although to my observation there were plenty of lay-people tending to the wounded, there were no ambulances for a very long time. I tried to approach a few policeman to try to alert them to what seemed to me to be the extent of the medical emergency - but they all seemed to want to run off towards the mall and I couldn't get anyone's attention. Given that, by that stage, the perpetrator must have been shot and arrested (in the opposite direction to the one the police were running), there seemed to be a communications breakdown of some kind.

Fourthly, within a very short distance of the crime scene, people were going about their business quite oblivious to the disaster that had just unfolded. So, eg, the on-street diners in Hardware Lane (alongside the McDonalds and just north of Bourke St) were still happily lunching and there was no police presence at all when I walked though. I have neither knowledge nor skill in disaster management but if there were ever to be a serious terrorist incident in the CBD, the lack of coordination and control I observed yesterday strongly suggests to me that Melbourne is not properly prepared to deal with it.

Fifthly, the mainstream media were very, very slow to report anything about the incident. I was eating lunch in Zam Zams (having spent some time browsing CDs in the Lonsdale St JB) when the news finally broke.

I have no barrow to push about any of this - I'm sure that all the people concerned did their absolute best to deal with a dreadful situation as it unfolded but, in real time, I just had the sense that everything about the emergency response and dealing with the aftermath occurred too slowly.

[swoop42]

So after witnessing scores of people seriously injured (some dead/dying?) you thought a spot of lunch and shopping was in order.

Okay then. I knew you were cold but man you're freezing.

Having watched footage of the aftermath on liveleak I to thought the response by emergency management was a little slow in attending to the injured strewn all over the pavement as well as crowd management though in fairness I'm not sure how long after the incident it was taken.

I guess it's a reminder that real life is not like the movies though I hope it serves as a wake up call to those in power and I'm sure some police are questioning today why they didn't or weren't allowed to try and disable his car when he was doing those burnouts.

I read somewhere that apparently there were a number of unmarked police cars on the scene at that stage but they held back from attempting anything.

As I've said previously given we had a terrorist threat averted that centered on Flinders Street before Christmas I believe the government and police will need to take steps to boost police presence in the area as well as elsewhere like Southbank.

Finally why I watched the stated footage I really do find it appalling that some people find it appropriate to whip out there phone and take video or photos of human suffering as it's unfolding.

Put your damn phone down and help or just get out of the way.

I tell you if that was a family member of mine lying injured I would punch anyone in the nose who had the gall to video them.

Hell I'd probably do it if it was a stranger.

[David]

But you still watched it, which means � even if not the type to whip out a phone yourself in such a situation � you're essentially engaging in the same voyeuristic mentality and behaviour. I don't think any of us are truly immune to it.

[Pies4shaw]

Actually, I think that doing something safe and routine was a perfectly reasonable response to the shock. My responses were, in order: 1 see if anyone injured needs help; 2 everyone's being attended to and I know nothing more useful than any of them about first aid but where are the ambulances? I'll alert those policemen - they may be able to get some message through that others can't; 3 they've run away. I'm nowhere near the first on the scene and I won't be the first person to have thought ambulances are required, so I won't dial 000 - that's more likely to be a hindrance than a help; 4 where are my firm's staff? I ring them and tell them to get back inside and stay away from the windows (at this stage, I'm still thinking "sniper", not mad driver); 5 where are my children? They are both supposed to be in the city. I'll call them; 6 they're both OK. My wife is probably hearing about this, so I'd better call her and tell her all 3 of us are OK; 7 she doesn't know anything about it and my call makes her worried - quite the opposite of what I'd intended; 8 here are the ambulances, finally; 9 should I go back to the office? No, it's too far and who knows what's happening? I know, I'll walk home; 10 oh, here's JB. I'll go there instead; 11 no one knows what's going on. What to do? Oh, I remember, Zam Zams next door has a TV. They'll have the news on. 12 if I'm going to sit in here, I'd better buy lunch. I'm pretty confident that is radically incoherent in retrospect - but it all seemed sensible at the time. If you'd like to interpret it in some other way, I can't stop you, though.

I didn't see anyone filming. What I did observe was a lot of people trying to help and a lot of people gossiping. Complete strangers tried to engage me in conversation about what I'd seen and what I thought had happened - I found that quite bizarre and distasteful but those people were probably shocked, too.

[Dave The Man]

[mandy]

Your second post makes much more sense than your first, P4s. And I'm so sorry you had to witness that. 2 of Shelby's friends were there when it happened and although thankfully not physically hurt, they are without doubt 2 very traumatised young women today.

I can't even imagine.

[Pies4shaw]

^^^^ Yes, well my first post wasn't directed to defending my actions because it didn't occur to me that could be necessary. It was directed, rather, at my impressions of what was occurring around and about - that was necessarily chaotic.

Sorry to hear about Shelby's friends - there'll be a very large number of people in the same boat, I expect.

[think positive]

Me three P4Shaw! I was waiting for "I whipped off my jacket to stem the bleeding!" Top marks for the second post, sounds like you did the best thing, looked to help, tried to get help, checked on and alerted family, got out the way.

As for not having to explain yourself! Ha, true but it's the tavern, jumping to conclusions is some peoples daily constitutional!

Mandy, glad Shelby and her friends are ok.

At 5 my daughter walked from work to the station, having to detour, and She said there was still a lot of activity, and it was a really horrible feeling to be there.

[watt price tully]

The ED was remarkably quiet having dealt with the maelstrom that occurred while I was sleeping (night shift). That lasted a few hours as the ED, Police, ED workers & ambulance people had been working their backsides off. By the time I got on it was peaceful & I could catch up with some overdue paperwork. Mind you that lasted the first 2.5 hours of my 10 hour nigh shift!

To be sure, the perpetrator does not have a formal psychiatric history.

[think positive]

Good, no reason not to put him in general pop then!

(I don't envy you, must be awfully hard to deal with the aftermath) xxx

[watt price tully]

[watt price tully]

[stui magpie]

I can relate to both of P4S posts.

I don't know first aid, If I wasn't in a position to do anything useful, get out of the road and let those who can, do.

A place with a TV to figure out WTF is going on is a good idea and it's lunch time and you're hungry so why not eat?

Must have been a fkn shock to the senses though to just suddenly stroll into something resembling a war zone

[stui magpie]

[What'sinaname]