The suspected Darwin gunman was pulled over for speeding just a few hours before allegedly shooting four people, but was released because police saw ‘nothing out of the ordinary’.
Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann, 45, will today be charged with four counts of murder two days after allegedly carrying out the shooting across the Northern Territory capital.
For the past two days he has been in hospital where he had surgery for stab wounds that he apparently suffered before his arrest about 6.40pm on Tuesday.
At a press conference on Thursday, NT police commissioner Reece Kershaw revealed that on the morning of the shooting Hoffmann was allegedly caught doing 94km/h in an 80km/h zone.
Ben Hoffmann (pictured being released from hospital on Thursday), 45, allegedly killed four people during a shooting rampage on Tuesday evening and injured one other
The man, who was known to police and was released on parole earlier this year, was arrested (pictured) after a rampage that lasted about an hour and involved five locations
The police commissioner said that after being pulled over in the suburb of Humpty Doo at 10.52am, Hoffmann was handed an infringement and allowed to drive off.
‘He was not displaying any adverse behaviour,’ Commissioner Kershaw told media.
‘There nothing out of the ordinary (when he) was observed by police officers.’
Hoffmann was allegedly caught breaking the speed limit on two more occasions over the next three hours by fixed speed cameras.
Just under seven hours later he allegedly entered the Palm Motel, in Darwin’s CBD, and shot dead taxi driver Hassan Baydoun.
Over the next hour Hoffmann went on to allegedly shoot Rob Courtney, 52 – a guard at Darwin’s casino – Michael Sisois, 57, – a member of the Greek community – and a 75-year-old man.
Authorities today revealed more troubling details of Hoffman’s activities before the alleged shootings, including that he may have been under the influence of the drug ice.
Hoffman was pulled over for speeding just a few hours before allegedly shooting four people
Hoffmann allegedly fatally shot four men at four different locations (pictured) and injured one woman
The chaos unfolded at the Palms Motel (pictured) in Finniss St, just before 6pm, on Tuesday as a man wearing hi-vis clothing allegedly began his rampage
Police believe at about 5.45pm, the gunman shot and killed Blue Taxis driver Hassan Baydoun, 33, at the back of the Firness St motel. The cab driver was on his meal break at the time
It has also been revealed that the alleged gunman was thrown back in jail just weeks ago for breaching his parole.
Officials said Hoffman – who was freed on parole in January – spent two weeks back behind bars in April after he breached his 10pm curfew.
Northern Territory corrective services commissioner Scott McNairn said it was only considered a ‘minor breach’ and he was then released back into the community.
Police believe Tuesday’s rampage began about 5.40pm. About 5.45pm, the gunman shot and killed Blue Taxis driver Hassan Baydoun, 33, at the back of the Palms motel on Firness St.
The cab driver was on his meal break at the time, with the company’s operations base next door to the motel.
About this time, a woman, 23, also suffered injuries to her legs. She is in hospital and will survive.
Five minutes later, at 5.50pm, police allege the gunman had driven about two minutes’ up the road to Gardens Hill Crescent, where he shot dead a man, 76, at a townhouse. He has not been formally identified.
Nine minutes later, just before 6pm, the shooter is alleged to have stormed the nearby Buff Club pub and killed a man, 57. His family have been notified.
The shooter is alleged to have stormed the nearby Buff Club pub (pictured) and killed a man, 57
A police officer looks mournful as he stands guard outside the home at Gardens Hill Crescent, one of the crime scenes where a 75-year-old man was shot dead
Blue Taxis driver Hassan Baydoun (pictured), 33, was shot dead at the back of the Palms motel on Firness St about 5.45pm
He is then alleged to have driven north about 1.5km to Jolly Rd, Woolner, and shot a fourth man, 52, at an industrial site. His next of kin has also been identified.
Strangely, police allege the gunman then headed to one of the Northern Territory Police’s headquarters, the Peter Mcaulay Centre, about 20 minutes drive north.
Investigators claim he allegedly tried to enter the concrete, fortress-like building, but failed. Detectives don’t know why he was there.
Police claim the gunman then turned around and drove all the way back to Darwin’s city centre.
At some point, he rang the police duty superintendent.
‘He asked to be placed into protective custody, which we did,’ police commissioner Reece Kershaw recalled.
The gunman was covered in blood at the time of his arrest. He was Tased by police troopers in military fatigues and taken to hospital.
Police have also spoken to the man he was allegedly searching for during the shootings, ‘Alex’.
‘He is actually currently residing in Darwin and he is safe and well,’ Mr Kershaw said.
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