EXCLUSIVE 20 years on: The 'red herring' that let Daniel Morcombe's murderer slip through police officer's fingers, plus the glaring error that meant he was free to kill in the first place
'Ten years ago you made a choice to rip our family apart.'
These were the words Bruce Morcombe, the grieving father of Daniel Morcombe, who was kidnapped from a Sunshine Coast bus stop by pedophile Brett Peter Cowan in 2003, spoke to his killer in court.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
37 minutes ago
- The Sun
Austria shooting LIVE: Terrified pupils flee ‘bullied' ex-student, 21, armed with shotgun in massacre that left 10 dead
AT LEAST 10 young people have been killed after a "bullied" former student opened fire in a school in Austria. Terrifying footage shows pupils fleeing the 21-year-old male shooter as he went on the deadly rampage before turning the gun on himself. 6 6 6 6 The victims include six girls and three boys, local police officers confirmed. They are all children and teenagers, they added. Another 12 are seriously injured and in hospital receiving treatment, with up to 30 said to be wounded in total. Horrifying video shows pupils hiding in a classroom as gunshots ring out nearby. Others clips show students running for their lives as heavily armed cops make their way inside the BORG Dreierschützengasse high school. A massive police operation in Graz was launched shortly after 10am this morning when the first gunshot was heard. Troops from the Austrian special forces were seen storming the institution in the country's second biggest city. The Austrian government has now declared a three-day mourning period. The gunman was an ex-pupil who didn't graduate and is said to have been a victim of bullying during his time at the school, reports say. He is said to have been carrying two legally owned weapons - a Glock pistol and a shotgun at the time. The lone shooter was found dead in a bathroom after turning the gun on himself, the Austrian interior minister confirmed. He was not known to police, and a motive is yet to be confirmed. In total, over 300 police officers were deployed to secure the school grounds. Authorities issued a disaster alert to local hospitals, and wounded students are being taken to a nearby concert stadium. Today, 13:29 By Sayan Bose 'This horror cannot be put into words' says Austrian president Alexander Van der Bellen said Austria was mourning today and called the shooting a "horror" that "cannot be put into words". He added: "What happened today in a school in Graz strikes at the heart of our country. "These were young people who had their whole lives ahead of them. "A teacher who accompanied them on their journey." Today, 13:26 By Sayan Bose Emergency services continue working at the scene Today, 13:12 By Sayan Bose Shooter was 'bullied' in school Local media reports say the ex-pupil was a victim of bullying during his time at the school. Today, 12:49 By Sayan Bose Austria's population among the most heavily armed in Europe Austria has one of the most heavily armed civilian populations in Europe, with an estimated 30 firearms per 100 persons, according to the Small Arms Survey, an independent research project. Machine guns and pump action guns are banned, while revolvers, pistols and semi-automatic weapons are allowed only with official authorization. Rifles and shotguns are permitted with a firearms license or a valid hunting licence, or for members of traditional shooting clubs. Today, 12:47 By Sayan Bose Graz school shooting 'unbearable', says Austria's minister Austria's Minister for European and International Affairs Beate Meinl-Reisinger wrote on X: "It's incomprehensible and unbearable. "My sympathy and grief go out to the victims and their families. No one can imagine the suffering; as a mother of three children, it breaks my heart." Today, 12:45 By Sayan Bose Cops say area has been secured A local police spokesman said the area had been secured, the school had been evacuated and relatives of the victims and pupils were being cared for. "There is no further danger for the population, but there are several dead," he told Austrian television. Today, 12:16 By Sayan Bose Austrian chancellor calls Graz school shooting 'national tragedy' Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker said a shooting at a school in the city of Graz was a "national tragedy" in a statement on Tuesday and offered his condolences to the families who have lost their children. "The rampage at a school in Graz is a national tragedy that has deeply shaken our entire country," Stocker said. "There are no words for the pain and grief that we all - all of Austria - are feeling right now," he added. Today, 12:00 By Sayan Bose In pictures: emergency services at the scene Today, 11:39 By Sayan Bose Death toll rises to 10 At least 10 people are now believed to be dead after the shooting rampage in the Austrian school. Graz Mayor Elke Kahr confirmed the suspected shooter was among those killed. Another 28 people have been severely injured, with four currently in extremely critical condition. Today, 11:20 By Sayan Bose Austrian Interior Minister en route to the school Interior Minister Gerhard Karne is said to be on his way to the school in Graz, according to local media outlets. Today, 11:15 By Sayan Bose 28 people injured in shooting spree At least 28 people have reportedly been injured in the school shooting, Austrian local media reports. Kronen Zeitung newspaper said four of them are extremely critical and are being treated in hospitals. Today, 11:09 By Sayan Bose Special task force units deployed Police spokesperson Sabri Yorgun said special forces were among those sent to the high school after a call at 10am. This includes the special tactical unit Cobra, which handles attacks and hostage situations. Today, 11:05 By Sayan Bose Death toll rises to 9 At least nine people are now believed to be dead after the shooting rampage in the Austrian school. Graz Mayor Elke Kahr confirmed the suspected shooter was among those killed. Today, 11:01 By Sayan Bose Where did the shooting happen? Austrian cops said the shooting took place at BORG Dreierschützengasse, a high school in Graz.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
School dropout shoots dead nine in Austria
At least nine people were shot dead at a secondary school by a former pupil in the Austrian city of Graz. Several students and at least one adult were among those killed in the country's worst school shooting in living memory. The suspect was a 21-year-old man who had attended the school but not graduated. He shot himself in the school toilets after his attack. Austria's chancellor said the shooting at BORG Dreierschützengasse high school marks a 'dark day in the history of the country'. The victims included six females and four males, police said, without revealing their identities. A dozen more people were injured, including several seriously. Local media reports suggested the suspect was a victim of bullying when he attended the school. Gerhard Karner, the interior minister, said investigations are ongoing into the background of the suspect, but did not comment on his identity or motives. He used two guns, a shotgun and a handgun – both obtained legally – in the attack. At around 10am local time (9am BST), rounds of loud gunshots followed by screams were heard coming from the school, and the alarm began sounding. Dozens of police cars and ambulances were filmed racing to the scene, which is half a mile from Graz's historic centre, as a police helicopter circled above. Officers, supported by Austria's elite 'Cobra' unit, then combed through the school, evacuating the wounded and the students and teachers who had barricaded themselves in classrooms. Around midday, police announced that the school had been secured and the danger was over. The wounded were taken to several hospitals in the area, and a mass casualty event was declared. 'This is a national tragedy that has hit us deeply,' Christian Stocker, the Austrian chancellor, said in the wake of the events. Declaring three days of national mourning, he said that schools 'must remain places of peace'. Alexander Van der Bellen, Austria's president, said: 'This horror cannot be captured in words. These were young people who had their whole lives ahead of them. A teacher who accompanied them on their way.' Mark Nolden, 22, a student who lives near the school and knows some of the students, described the shooting as a 'huge shock' for the community. He told Kronen Zeitung, Austria's biggest newspaper: 'It's a situation like something out of a movie, above all the uncertainty.' Local media, citing unconfirmed witness reports, said the suspect was carrying two weapons, a pistol and a shotgun and that he was found dead inside the school toilets. The Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper reported that he had purchased one of the guns just days ago. Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said: 'Schools are symbols of youth, hope and the future. It is difficult to bear when schools become places of death and violence.' Prime Minister Keir Starmer's 'thoughts are with everyone affected and the people of Austria', his official spokesman said. Despite Austria having one of the heavily armed civilian populations in Europe – with an estimated 30 firearms per 100 persons – school shootings are uncommon. Austria only had two mass shootings between 2000 and 2022. Machine guns and pump-action guns are banned, while shotguns, revolvers, pistols and semi-automatic weapons are allowed with official authorisation or a firearms licence. Four people were killed and 22 injured when a convicted jihadist went on a shooting spree in the centre of Vienna in 2020. The school shooting in Graz happened almost 10 years to the day that the city was rocked by a driver who deliberately rammed his car into the city centre before stabbing residents. The attacker, Alen Rizvanović, a Bosnian refugee, killed three people and injured more than 30.
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Austria school shooting live: Police give details of killer who shot dead multiple students in Graz attack
A lone attacker has shot dead nine people at a school in the Austrian city of Graz. Officials say the suspect, who was 21 and had two guns, killed himself in the bathroom. Three days of national mourning have been announced. Follow the latest here.
