Americans May Not Know Of Martin Bryant, But He’s Australia’s Worst Mass Murderer
Few Americans have heard the name Martin Bryant, but in Australia, he’s the worst mass murderer in history.
From the day he was born on May 7, 1967, Bryant was an unruly and mean-spirited child. Early in life, a family psychologist told his parents that “he would aggravate people to such an extent that he’d always be in trouble.”
That warning would turn out to be a massive understatement.
On April 28, 1996, Bryant grabbed three guns and drove to the Port Arthur historic site. Within minutes, he’d gunned down and killed 35 people and injured 28 more.
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He blamed the murder spree on the fact that people “avoided” him. Upon analysis, it was found that Bryant’s IQ was a staggeringly low 66, the equivalent to that of an 11-year-old.
After a meager getaway attempt, Bryant was brought into custody. Thinking that cameras had stopped rolling, he gleefully confessed to his crime, as you can watch below.
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When police were confident that he was in fact guilty, Bryant became eager to share details of exactly how he committed the murders.
He also pressed police for details. When they told him how many people were dead and injured, he laughed.
In November 1996, Bryant was given 35 life sentences, plus an additional 1,035 years for his crime. He’s tried to commit suicide several times, but was unsuccessful.
In Port Arthur, families of the slain 35 still come together to grieve every year. Australia will never forget this brutal and thoughtless crime.
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Sadly, this awful tragedy may have been avoided if someone close to Bryant had gotten him the psychiatric help he so desperately needed.
If someone you know is in danger of hurting themselves or others, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or contact the nearest mental health association.
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