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1 -- - C inhabitants located about 100 km east of London, was an location for the . worst mass murder in the annals of { criminal history. Not that much had ever happened * in the quaint little market town. Michael Ryan, 27, had an obsessive mother who doted on him. The 60-year-old Dorothy Ryan Michael had a few bob for spending money. For her trouble, Michael often rewarded her with a slap across the face. Despite the abuse, Dorothy continued to cater to her son. After all, he was the man of the house now. His father had died of can- cer two years earlier at the age of 80. Michael quit school and drifted from one menial job to another. As a teenager, he displayed an extraordinary interest in guns. He belonged to two gun clubs and practised target shooting several times a week. Along with his passion for weapons, he favored the Rambo look and often wore army battle fatigues. He lied a lot, making up stories which everyone knew were blatant falsehoods. Michael loved to tell of his experiences as a paratrooper, dramatic tales, but all the product of his imagination. « No one will ever know what snapped in Michael Ryan's mind that summer day in 1987, but we do know the results all too well. It wasn't a spur of the moment thing. He planned his attack, assembled weapons, donned battle fatigues and even took target practice the day before the massacre. 30 - PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, January 5, 1993 } 4 Ee VP 4 Noy worked as a waitress and always saw to it that her Wednesday, Aug. 19, 1967, started out asa ~*~ normal market day in Hungerford. Stalls brimmed with fresh fruit and Vogataltlen. The streets filled Shop} 8 san » got up ear ' sd gathered her two children, ; 4, James, 2, for what had been planned as a day in the country. The 32-year-old housewife left her home in nearby Reading and drove to Savernake Forest, a few miles outside Hungerford, where she found an' ideal location for a picnic. Susan had no way of = knowing that she was only minutes away from _ becoming the first victim of a madman intent on killing anyone he happened to meet. OR, He stalked town In worst mass murder in British history | 2 In town, Michael slowly dressed in his U.S. Army fatigues. He fondled his Chinese copy of a Kalashnikov AK 47 assault rifle. In addition, he placed a 9 mm Beretta in his pocket along with undreds of rounds of ammunition. In the trunk of his car he had stashed three other handguns. They rested beside his hunting knife, bandages, gas mask and flask of whiskey. Michael Ryan had planned well. He drove his silver Vauxhall Astra to Savernake Forest, where he came upon Susan Godfrey and her children. For reasons known only to himself, he spared the weapon had jammed, saving - children, but marched Susen Into the woods some 100 meters distant. A volley of gunfire roared through the countryside. Michael shot Susan 15 ' ° times inthe chest. ~~ to An hour later, the two Godfrey children were found wandering on the road, taken to their F*°| grandmother's house, Hannah told her, "The man shot our mummie and he has taken the car keys and James and me can't drive the car so we are = © Mitel had. only begun his oysséy of terror. He e ) oyssey of terror. drove toward Hungerford to Froxfield, where he pulled up to the gas pumps at the Golden Arrow =~ garage. After fing 'auxhall, he aimed his. rifle at cashier Kakaub Dean and fired. The terrified woman dropped to the floor amidst a shower of broken glass. Michael walked through the door of the cashier's enclosure and pointed his rifle at the woman cowering on the floor. She could only whimper, "Please don't kill-me." She : trembled in fear, eyes shut tight, as she heard the hammer of her attacket's rifle fall four times. The g Kakaub's life. Michael jumped in his car and drove away inthe direction ol Hungerford. Kakaub dialed 911. Police were already searching for Susan Godfrey's body in Savernake Forest. Other officers' to Kakaub's' call. Still others were dispatched from nding communities. A madman was shooting people. po Michael returned to his home at 4 South View to procure more ammunition, Constable Roger an remgoed th LI abou pu awe nb an 'killer abc 1 away in his car. Brereton rammed Michael's Vauxhall. Michael tesponded by shooting the defenceless police officer dead. orothy Ryan witnessed a portion of her son's wild rampage and begged him to put down his weapons. Michael shot and killed her before setting fire to the house, He then proceeded to shoot at houses on his own street. Several occupants were wounded. Two elderly residents, Roland and Sheila Mason, were getting ready to go out shopping. They were killed in their own home. . One of the wounded crawled to a phone and called a friend, 51-year-old George White. George jumped into his Toyota and rushed to South View. he arrived at the scene, he was shot. and. killed instantly. The carnage continued. Michael Ryan was literally at that moved. Ken ¢ the flames at 4 South View. They were spotted Michael, who began continued. ael made his way to Fairview Rd. Abdur Khan, a retired shopke and Douglas Wainwright, fn town visting his police' Officer sun, Were both shot dead, Michael stood in LEAL ELE I I BI IE NE NE I EN I Pgh Arica: