Causes of the Aramoana Massacre,1990. Cause One~ David Malcolm Grays mental health. Despite having taken five shots, he ¨fought like a madman as he was pinned to the ground¨. David Malcolm Gray was the man who caused the biggest massacre in New Zealand after he shot and killed 13 people in the small town of Aramoana on the 13th of November 1990. David Malcolm Gray was an unemployed 33 year lonely resident of Aramoana who did not fit in with the other residents of the small town, which caused David Malcolm Gray to feel resented and alone. David Malcolm Gray was seen as a "loner" and in many headlines he was called the "Loner Killer". One of the main causes of the Aramoana shooting was David Malcolm Grays mental health deteriorating and "His paranoia and fanatical ideas finally came to a head on 13th November". Grays mental health had deteriorated after his mother had passed away and even members of Aramoana society believed that during the last six months before the massacre his mental health was "unstable" and he was not in his "right mind". Andrew Frost, Professor of Social Services and studied Psychology believes that David Malcolm Gray suffered with many mental illness' such as personality disorders that are called paranoia,schizoid and schizotypal. David Malcolm Grays patterns of behavior while he was alive proved to many people that he was suffering with mental illness' as he was paranoid,afraid and had a high level of mistrustfulness in people, this caused him to be lonely and live an isolated existence in his small house in Aramoana. David Malcolm Gray intentionally avoided people in his community as he viewed them as hurtful and deceitful. The majority of people with a personality disorder never come into contact with mental health services and for David Malcolm Gray, this was a fact and could of been the cause of the Aramoana tragedy. David Gray being shot by police more than 5 times but still not going down shows that David Gray was in it to die and he did not care that he would be shot, this is a consequence of the masscare and mental illness when it is left untreated. In previous psychiatric history, David Malcolm Gray might have been considered a 'secondary psychopath', the sort of isolated, 'quiet' individual who gradually accumulates a large number of grudges and dissatisfaction but doesnt do anything about them, until suddenly they do:all at once in some sort of dangerous 'spree'. More about the mental illness' that are a main cause of the Aramoana tragedy. paranoia ˌparəˈnɔɪə/ noun
schizoid
Schizotypal~ personality disorder (STPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a need for social isolation, anxiety in social situations, odd behavior and thinking, and often unconventional beliefs Cause Two~ Lack of Education/awareness about mental illness in society. David Malcolm Grays mental illness' were apart of the cause of the Aramoana shooting but the lack of education and help for David Malcolm Gray was a cause for the Aramoana tragedy aswell. The lack of education about mental illness' during the 1990's caused many people in New Zealand societies to believe that David Malcolm Gray was just "evil" and a "bad person" and mental illness' are not the reason behind the shooting, but Gray is. Almost all psychiatric hospitals were closed or run down by the early 1990s in New Zealand as some institutions abandoned their old buildings to build others in different cities and psychiatric hospitals was not a common building to have in towns such as Aramoana. During the 1980's organisations in New Zealand were trying to bring awareness to mental illness' as the subject was not talked about and something to push under the rug. David Malcolm Gray on the day of the shooting showed many signs that he was unstable and was not well as he was served a cold pie at the Continental Coffee Bar and became confrontational. David Gray was asked to leave but before he left he threatened the owner saying "I'll be back, I'm going to get you. I'll blow you away" proving that the thought of attacking people in his community was an idea in Grays mind. David Malcolm Gray had another anger outburst in the town of Aramoana when he objected angrily to a NZ$2.00 bank fee for a cheque, these signs of anger should of been picked up on by members of the society to be able to get David Malcolm Gray the help he needed especially after the threats Gray said to store owners. Cause Three~ David Malcolm Grays interest in weaponry. "David Malcolm Gray was an avid reader of warfare, weaponry and survivalist literature who had amassed a cache of firearms and ammunition". David Malcolm Gray was definitely unstable and should not of had a gun license . "On the morning of 13 November he travelled into Dunedin city, and visited a bank where he objected angrily to a NZ$2.00 bank fee for a cheque. He then went to Elio's Gun Shop, placing a $100 deposit on a gun he intended to collect the next week." showing that during his last day on earth he went to a gun shop to buy the gun he had always admired and wanted. His mental and physical state in the six months prior to the tragedy had deteriorated rapidly and his interest in weaponry increased as warfare books and magazines were found all over David Grays home along with ammunition and multiple firearms. David Malcolm Gray used many weapons during the massacre such as the 223 Norinco Type 84s sporting rifle, 22 Squires and Bingham semiautomatic sporting rifle, 22 Winchester rifle with silencer, 22 Remington rifle, an air rifle and arson fire. |
David Malcolm Gray the offender.
33 years old European (November 20, 1956 – November 14, 1990) The Memorial Stand in Aramoana for the Victims of the Aramoana Massacre, David Malcolm Grays name is not mentioned.
|
Interviews through email
Andrew Frost
John Pratt
John Pratt