Episode 28: The Raurimu Massacre - Six Gone too Soon

Sinister Dynasty - New Zealand (NZ) True Crime Podcast

The Raurimu massacre was a tragic shooting that took place in New Zealand on February 8, 1997. The incident occurred at a remote railway worker's hostel in Raurimu, a small town in the central North Island.

The shooter, identified as David Gray, a local man, arrived at the hostel armed with a semi-automatic rifle and began shooting indiscriminately. He killed six people and injured four others before being apprehended by police.

The victims of the shooting included residents and employees of the hostel, as well as a visiting family of four. Gray had no prior criminal history, and his motives for the shooting remain unclear to this day.

After the shooting, a Royal Commission of Inquiry was established to investigate the incident and to identify any potential failures or gaps in New Zealand's gun control laws. The inquiry found that Gray had obtained his firearm legally, and it recommended stricter gun control measures to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.

The Raurimu massacre was one of the worst mass shootings in New Zealand's history, and it had a profound impact on the country's attitudes towards gun control. The incident is still remembered today as a tragic reminder of the devastating effects of gun violence.

Our love goes out to the families of the fallen:
Neville Anderson
Steven Hanson
John Matthews
Hendrick Dirk Van de Wetering
Anthony McCarty
Andrea Brander

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Music by Kyle Hsieh