Siegfred Karl Kast (c. 1916 – 1 December 1955) was a German immigrant to Australia who shot dead two doctors and unsuccessfully attempted to detonate a bomb in

Wickham Terrace Wickham Terrace is one of the historic streets of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is known as the street of private medical specialists. Geography Wickham Terrace commences at the western corner of the intersection of Ann Street and Whar ...

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

, before committing suicide.

Incident

On Thursday, 1 December 1955, Karl Kast, carrying a home-made bomb shot dead two doctors, Dr Arthur Vincent Meehan and Dr Andrew R Murray and wounded Dr Michael Joseph Gallagher and George Boland. A fifth person, Dr John Lahz was severely traumatised due to the incident. Dr Michael Gallagher, Kast's first victim, was shot in his offices in Wickham House. Kast then ignited three bombs in the foyer of the building. George Boland, a patient of one of the doctors in the building, attempted to stub out the bomb only to have it explode and maim his hand. Kast then went to Ballow Chambers, around hundred metres down

, where he shot Dr Andrew R Murray and attempted to apprehend Dr John Lahz, who escaped. Following his rampage, Kast locked himself in the office of Dr Lahz, within Ballow Chambers, where he shot himself and ignited another bomb. He later died in hospital.

Aftermath

A brown paper parcel was delivered to the Brisbane Criminal Investigation Branch containing a letter from Kast claiming that he "did not receive justice elsewhere" and listing his four victims by name. The parcel also contained correspondence detailing his attempts to receive compensation for an alleged back injury. The tragedy was reported in ''

the Courier-Mail ''The Courier-Mail'' is an Australian newspaper published in Brisbane. Owned by News Corp Australia, it is published daily from Monday to Saturday in tabloid format. Its editorial offices are located at Bowen Hills, in Brisbane's inner northe ...

'' on Friday, 2 December, as "...a horrible crime ...

hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

..sent a shock of horror through the city and all Queensland". Kast was buried in an

unmarked grave An unmarked grave is one that lacks a marker, headstone, or nameplate indicating that a body is buried there. However, in cultures that mark burial sites, the phrase unmarked grave has taken on a metaphorical meaning. Metaphorical meaning As a ...

Toowong Cemetery Toowong Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery on the corner of Frederick Street and Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was established in 1866 and formally opened in 1875. It is Queensland's largest ceme ...

References

{{Authority control Terrorism in Australia Murder in Queensland Burials at Toowong Cemetery German emigrants to Australia 1955 deaths Bombers (people) Year of birth uncertain 1955 murders in Australia Australian spree killers Murder in Brisbane 1950s mass shootings 20th-century mass shootings in Australia Suicides by firearm in Australia