{{Short description|2019 mass shooting in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}} {{Use Australian English|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox civilian attack | title = 2019 Darwin shooting | partof = | image = | image_size = | image_upright = | alt = | caption = | map = | map_size = | map_alt = | map_caption = | location = Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia | target = | coordinates = | date = {{start date|2019|6|4|df=yes}} | time = | timezone = | type = Mass shooting, spree shooting | fatalities = 4<ref name="abc1" /> | injuries = 1<ref name="abc1" /> | victims = <!-- or | victim = --> | perpetrators = | assailants = <!-- or | assailant = --> | weapons = 12-gauge Winchester Defender pump action shotgun<ref>{{cite web |last1=McGuirk |first1=Rod |title=Gunman out on parole kills 4 in Australian city of Darwin |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/dead-shooting-australian-city-darwin-63472167 |website=ABC News (United States)|publisher=ABC News Internet Ventures |access-date=4 June 2019}}</ref> | numparts = <!-- or | numpart = --> | dfens = <!-- or | dfen = --> | motive = | inquiry = | coroner = | perpetrator = Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/national/alleged-shooter-was-let-go-from-roofing-job-just-days-before-rampage/news-story/604728c1fd61543a3e58ac50a2e9693c|title=Alleged shooter was let go from roofing job just days before rampage|date=2019-06-04|website=news.com.au|access-date=2019-06-05}}</ref> | convicted = Murder (3 counts)<br>Manslaughter (1 count) | verdict = Guilty | convictions = 3 life sentences without parole plus 15 years | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | module = }} On 4 June 2019, a mass shooting occurred in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. The Northern Territory Police confirmed that four people were killed in the incident and another one was injured. A 45-year-old man, Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann, was arrested and subsequently convicted for murder and manslaughter.<ref name="abc1">{{Cite news |last=Vanovac |first=Neda |date=4 June 2019 |title=Darwin shooting: Four people killed and another injured, 45yo alleged gunman arrested by police |publisher=ABC News (Australia) |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-04/northern-territory-police-arrest-gunman-in-darwin-woman-injured/11179136 |access-date=4 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Derwin |first=Jack |date=4 June 2019 |title=Darwin shooting: At least four killed, others injured |website=Seven News |url=https://7news.com.au/news/crime/darwin-shooting-man-arrested-after-opening-fire-in-cbd-c-148808 |access-date=4 June 2019}}</ref><ref name=":2" />
==Attack== The attacks occurred over multiple locations starting at 5:39 pm.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-05/alleged-shooter-ben-hoffmann-attack-darwin-four-dead/11180200|title=Alleged Darwin gunman identified but motive still unclear|last=Smith|first=Emily|last2=Garrick|first2=Matt|date=2019-06-05|website=ABC News (Australia)|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-06-05}}</ref> According to one news source:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/darwin-shooting-suspected-gunman-out-parole-134620172.html|title='This is not the Darwin we know': Suspect in deadly shooting was out on parole|website=au.news.yahoo.com|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-06-04}}</ref><blockquote>"Shots had rung out near Finnis Street just outside the CBD before the man moved to other locations – including The Buff Club, Stuart Park, the Palms Motel, a Coles Express and Jolly Street in Woolner."</blockquote>Witnesses say the gunman entered the Palms Motel on McMinn Street, Darwin and used a pump-action shotgun to shoot through a guestroom door.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/04/world/australia/shooting-darwin.html|title=Gunman Kills 4 in Darwin, Australia|last=Cave|first=Damien|date=2019-06-04|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-06-04|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> According to sources, around 20 shots were fired by the suspect. Witnesses also noted that while in the motel the gunman went from "room-to-room" while screaming out "Alex".
Police responded to the incident and the city centre near the motel remained in lock-down for an hour after the attack.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-48510881|title=Four killed in northern Australia shooting|date=4 June 2019|work=BBC|access-date=4 June 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref> The media reports that about 100 police were involved<ref name="abc1" /> including officers from the Territory Response Group.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/multiple-fatalities-man-arrested-after-fatal-shooting-in-darwin-police-20190604-p51uj5.html|title=Multiple fatalities, man arrested after shooting in Darwin|last=Visentin|first=Zach Hope, Georgina Mitchell, Lisa|date=4 June 2019|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> Northern Territory Police Commissioner, Reece Kershaw described the weapon as "a prohibited 12-gauge pump-action shotgun",<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-48522342|title='Banned shotgun' used in Darwin mass shooting|date=2019-06-05|access-date=2019-06-05|language=en-GB}}</ref> and said it may have been stolen as far back as 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/darwin-shooting-live-four-people-dead-gunman-in-custody-20190605-p51uke.html|title=Darwin shooting LIVE: Four people dead, suspect in custody|last=Noyes|first=Jenny|date=5 June 2019|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> Police say that the suspect used seven vehicles to visit other places located in the city.<ref name="auto" />
After the motel shooting, the suspect fled in a Toyota utility and remained at large for about an hour before being detained<ref name="abc1" /> after notifying police of his location at the intersection of McMinn and Daly Streets.<ref name=":2" /> At the time of his arrest, the man, a suspected member of a motorcycle gang who had been released from prison in January, was wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Martin |first=Lisa |date=2019-06-04 |title=Darwin shooting: four people dead as police reveal suspect was on parole |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jun/04/police-say-they-have-reports-of-up-to-four-people-dead-in-darwin-shooting |access-date=2019-06-04 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The suspect was also taken to Royal Darwin Hospital after being injured with a knife<ref>{{Cite web |last=Graham |first=Ben |date=2019-06-06 |title=Chilling CCTV captures Darwin rampage |url=https://www.news.com.au/national/chilling-cctv-images-capture-darwin-rampage/news-story/7e269bfa7259e513b3d8b3d17b58b36e |access-date=2019-06-07 |website=NewsComAu}}</ref> and tasered.<ref name=":2" />
==Victims== The deceased were all male: one man was reportedly killed at the motel, one at Buff Club, one at Gardens Hill Crescent, and one at Jolly Street.<ref name=":3" />
In addition, at the motel, a 23-year-old woman was shot multiple times in the legs.<ref name=":0" /> She was helped by a witness at the scene, and later taken to Royal Darwin Hospital.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />
==Perpetrator== The suspect was identified by as Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann, aged 45. Commissioner Kershaw said that Hoffmann had been released from prison on parole in January 2019. He had been serving a six-year prison sentence, eligible for parole after four years. He committed a minor violation of his parole conditions, breaking curfew by less than an hour, and was imprisoned again for two weeks, being released in early May. During his parole he had been drug tested, with all results negative. Police also revealed that they stopped the suspect for speeding hours before the shooting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kiis1011.com.au/newsroom/shock-police-revelation-about-darwin-shooter|title=POLICE'S SHOCK REVELATION ABOUT DARWIN SHOOTER|last=Newsroom|first=Newsroom|date=6 June 2019|website=KIIS 1011|access-date=6 June 2019|archive-date=7 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607165414/http://www.kiis1011.com.au/newsroom/shock-police-revelation-about-darwin-shooter|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The suspect's motivation remains unclear, but Kershaw said the suspect may have been looking for certain individuals. One of the individuals may have been called "Alex". Police believe "Alex" was outside the Northern Territory at the time of the attack.<ref name=":2" />
==Legal proceedings== On 5 June 2019, four charges of murder were laid against Hoffmann.<ref name=":2" />
Hoffman was to stand trial in February 2020, but due to a dispute with NT Legal Aid, he initially had no legal representation.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=SBS|date=27 February 2020|title=Accused Darwin shooter left with no lawyer due to a dispute over money with NT Legal Aid|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/accused-darwin-shooter-left-with-no-lawyer-due-to-a-dispute-over-money-with-nt-legal-aid}}</ref> He entered a plea of not guilty to all counts, with Hoffman's lawyer indicating on 23 April 2020 that he would run a defence of mental impairment due to psychiatric illness.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mackay |first=Melissa |date=23 April 2020 |title=Alleged Darwin shooter Benjamin Hoffmann to argue defence of mental impairment |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-23/accused-darwin-shooter-benjamin-hoffmann-in-court/12175908 |website=ABC News}}</ref>
Hoffman's trial began on 21 September 2021 at Darwin Supreme Court.<ref name="abc 21/09/21">{{cite news |last= Mackay|first= Melissa |date= 21 September 2021|title=Benjamin Hoffmann trial begins today |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-21/nt-hoffman-trial-begins-2019-darwin-shooting/100477498 |work= ABC News |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref> He was charged with the murders of four people, and with committing ten other serious offences, including threatening to kill and recklessly endangering life.<ref name="guardian 02/11/21">{{cite news |date= 2 November 2021|title=Darwin shooting: Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann pleads guilty to murder |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/02/darwin-shooting-benjamin-glenn-hoffmann-pleads-guilty-to |work= The Guardian |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref> At the start of the seventh week of his trial, he changed his plea to guilty of the murders of Baydoun, Sisois, and Courtney, and to the manslaughter of Hellings{{Specify |reason=Who are the victims? They are not named elsewhere in the article.|date=March 2025}}. He additionally pleaded guilty to half the other charges.<ref name="guardian 02/11/21"/>
Hoffmann sacked his legal team on 18 November 2021, requesting the court replace them.<ref>{{cite news |last=Clements |first=Amy |date=18 November 2021 |title=Darwin spree killer Benjamin Hoffman sacks entire legal team |work=9News |publisher= |url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/darwin-spree-killer-benjamin-hoffman-sacks-entire-legal-team/c993132c-5e8b-4940-b366-f8f76c0ab4ee}}</ref> His sentencing hearing underwent a number of delays until a sentence was delivered in October 2022.
On 13 October 2022, Hoffmann was given three life sentences without the possibility of parole for three of the murders, and a 15-year term of imprisonment for the manslaughter of a fourth victim.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Spina-Matthews |first=Sarah |last2=Dick |first2=Samantha |date=2022-10-13 |title='Prolonged and vicious': Darwin mass shooter handed life sentence with no parole for drug-fuelled rampage |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-13/darwin-shooter-benjamin-glenn-hoffmann-sentenced/101526932 |access-date=2022-10-13}}</ref>
==Reactions== The Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, commented that the shooting was not terrorism related.<ref name=":0" /> Michael Gunner, Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, stated that his thoughts were with the families and friends of the victims, stating "This is not the Darwin we know".<ref name=":1" />
==See also== {{Portal|Crime|Australia}} * List of mass shootings in Australia *List of massacres in Australia *Timeline of major crimes in Australia
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{coord missing|Northern Territory}}
{{Mass shootings in Australia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Darwin shooting, 2019}} Category:2010s in the Northern Territory Category:Mass shootings in Northern Territory (Australia) Category:2019 murders in Australia Category:2019 mass shootings in Oceania Category:21st century in Darwin, Northern Territory Category:Spree shootings in Australia Category:Attacks on hotels in Australia Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in 2019 Category:June 2019 crimes in Oceania Category:June 2019 in Australia Category:Murder in the Northern Territory Category:2019 mass murders Category:21st-century mass murders in Australia Category:Mass shootings involving shotguns in Oceania