'Egotistic' police allowed our families to be sacrificed, Bourke St widow tells inquest

She blamed complacency for what happened and said "the whole plan hinged" on Detective Senior Constable Murray Gentner pleading with Gargasoulas via phone and text messages to surrender as he drove around the city.

"There seems to be no accountability. There was acknowledgement of victims' pain, agony and sufferings but no formal apology." "There were some officers who offered their heartfelt apologies to the families. Although it does not bring my husband back, it helped to know that others were suffering with us. There are, however, officers in Victoria Police who remain egotistic, who will not admit to their mistakes and are not willing to learn from this incident. Certain officers were more focused on their careers and safety rather than protecting the public.

Those bystanders near flinders made more effort to stop this maniac.. while police stood and watched

'Between 1982 & 1994 a total of 34 people were shot & killed by police in Victoria. This compared with 15 for the rest of Australia, of which seven were in New South Wales.' That style of policing was sadly lacking on 20th Jan 2017.

FOU_official She has nailed it. the first responder is always the victim and even if the police do arrive in time, their proceedures will mean there is no timely reaction on their part.

Absolutely right.

In our NannyState, our Police are forced to raise revenue for the State. So, how can they be expected to protect us, eh? A Billion Dollars of traffic fines are more important than public lives, aren't they?

100000% agree. I was stalked all night and i has vision of him doing it. I have a protection order and he was in breach. When I reported it to police they said, ‘are you trying to tell me he has nothing better to do than stalk you?’ - YES!! That’s exactly what I’m telling you.

She spoke amazingly well and is 100% correct

We have a police service...instead of a police force...Top brass to scared to act ...PC policy’s caused indecision and cost lives.....

Yep

Trust me the police on the ground are just as angry with what happened on that day. But great to hear this lady speak out, hopefully the powers that be will listen!!

Utter nonsense

Spot on Luv... Hope you run for office

It's time we sacked Graham Ashton.

DanielAndrewsMP still hasn't lift his game up since the bouke st attack

couldn't agree more. full state politician and police mana washout needed

Sad but true!

Where I live we have a huge problem with drug dealers and other serious problems. Over 18 months I called 000 numerous times to ask for the police to attend. They never attended and never contacted me. Not once. Waste of time and money.

Some of us have taken steps to protect ourselves but nothing is foolproof when we have maniacs on the streets who should be in gaol. Police have restraints of the law that sometimes make it impossible for them to take direct action against perpetrators.

She makes a fair point.

It might get to that.

Right on, good call. They would rather book you for doing 75 in a 70 speed limit. Easy work, no paperwork. They are 100% responsible for this disaster. dirtyharry

Fair call.

In an imperfect world everyone looks over their shoulder waiting to accused of some sort transgression by the post modernest thought police.

The police doesn't want to hurt anybody's feelings... Especially in Victoria 🙄

Agree 100% but not street officers their politically correct senior non street senior officers

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Families of victims to speak at Bourke St inquest today | Sky News AustraliaFamily members of victims of the 2017 Bourke Street massacre are due to speak at the Coronial Inquest into the tragedy today. \n\nJames Gargasoulas killed six people and injured 27 more when he deliberately drove down Melbourne's busy Bourke Street on January 20, 2017.\n\nGargasoulas was found guilty of six counts of murder and was sentenced to life in prison. \n\nWednesday is the final day of the hearing with legal teams set to return at a later date for closing submissions.\n\nImage: News Corp Australia
Source: SkyNewsAust - 🏆 7. / 78 Read more »

Bourke St families take aim at Vic police during inquest | Sky News AustraliaThe families of victims killed by driver James Gargasoulas during the Bourke Street rampage have delivered statements to a coronial inquest into the massacre.\n\nSome of the victims and their families have been scathing of the Victorian legal system and criticised the police response to the rampage. \n\nThe wife of one of the six people killed by Mr Gargasoulas, Melinda Tan, called out the polices' conclusion that nothing could have been done to prevent the tragedy.\n\nCouncil assisting will provide a written submission which will be looked over by the coroner and oral submissions are to be provided on May 25 before the corner’s final findings are released. \n\nImage: News Corp Australia\u002F Stuart McEvoy
Source: SkyNewsAust - 🏆 7. / 78 Read more »

'We are better off protecting ourselves': Bourke St families take aim at policeThe widow of a man killed in the rampage has accused some police officers of being more concerned with protecting their careers than the safety of citizens. 9News Thats why we should have the right to protected ourselves just like the Americans do with their 2nd Amendment. So Behind in the times......
Source: 9NewsAUS - 🏆 10. / 72 Read more »

Widow of Bourke Street victim directs fury towards police in coronial hearingMelinda Tan, whose husband Matthew Si was killed in the 2017 Bourke Street car attack, tells the coroner Victoria Police focused on their careers and safety rather than protecting the public when they attempted to stop James Gargasoulas. It seems we cannot learn by the mistakes of Britain and the United States and continue in the belief that if something hasn't worked elsewhere that we for some reason can make it work here or that when things do work there that for the same reasoning it can't work here. Crazy She has every right to. Police idly stand by as the general public fight off attacks. Our judiciary is a joke. Dump it all, let vigilante groups take over. It'd be far cheaper & probably a better outcome for society. Effective against the mild and the unarmed. Ineffective against the armed and dangerous.
Source: abcnews - 🏆 5. / 83 Read more »

'Oh my God': Bourke Street inquest hears the moment killer's girlfriend learnt of massacreAkiir Muo wept and wailed uncontrollably when she found out her killer boyfriend had mown down pedestrians in Melbourne's CBD.
Source: abcnews - 🏆 5. / 83 Read more »

Bourke St families take aim at Vic police during inquest | Sky News AustraliaThe families of victims killed by driver James Gargasoulas during the Bourke Street rampage have delivered statements to a coronial inquest into the massacre.\n\nSome of the victims and their families have been scathing of the Victorian legal system and criticised the police response to the rampage. \n\nThe wife of one of the six people killed by Mr Gargasoulas, Melinda Tan, called out the polices' conclusion that nothing could have been done to prevent the tragedy.\n\nCouncil assisting will provide a written submission which will be looked over by the coroner and oral submissions are to be provided on May 25 before the corner’s final findings are released. \n\nImage: News Corp Australia\u002F Stuart McEvoy
Source: SkyNewsAust - 🏆 7. / 78 Read more »