Episode 97: The Dunblane Massacre.

Content Warning: This case involves a school shooting and the deaths of many young children. As always, we want our listeners to look after themselves, so if you feel that this episode may be distressing for you we would advise you to possibly skip this episode or listen to another one instead.

This week Emma tells us of the Dunblane Massacre, one of the darkest days in modern Scottish history.
On the 13th of March 1996, a class of 5 and 6-year-old children and their teachers at Dunblane Primary School were targeted by gunman Thomas Hamilton in a merciless attack which claimed the lives of 16 children and 1 teacher.
We hear how the families of the victims got involved in the political fight for gun control, with legislation quickly being introduced to severely restrict the ownership of handguns in the UK.
Emma talks about the lasting impact of the legislation, particularly how there have been no further school shootings since it was introduced. We also hear of the unfortunate parallels with recent incidents in the U.S and the potential lessons that could be learned from Dunblane.


Case research by Emma Taylor
Produced by Emma Taylor & Joannagh Shanks
Editing by Shaun O'Neill
Music by Tribe of Noise


Sources of research:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/dunblane-school-shooting-united-kingdom-gun-control-7936966/

https://news.stv.tv/archive/1345003-dunblane-massacre-timeline-of-school-shooting-that-shocked-a-nation

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-inquiry-into-the-shootings-at-dunblane-primary-school

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/five-small-coffins-laid-to-rest-in-dunblane-1342948.html

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-1996-dunblane-massacre-pushed-uk-enact-stricter-gun-laws-180977221/

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/emilydugan/school-shooting-gun-laws-change#.xxN1K0rGY

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/5/contents

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-life-and-death-of-thomas-watt-hamilton-1672323.html

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/uk-gun-control-after-1996-dunblane-massacre/article65464402.ece

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/26/british-laws-dunblane-gun-control-texas-school-massacre

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/61640325

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/31/andy-murray-angry-texas-school-shooting-dunblane-massacre

https://www.si.com/tennis/2022/06/01/andy-murray-recalls-childhood-school-shooting-scotland-uvalde-texas

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/6806925/dunblane-massacre-victims/

https://metro.co.uk/2016/03/13/dunblane-massacre-20-years-on-list-of-victims-of-horror-in-scottish-school-5749061/

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/past-times/2035024/dunblane-how-the-ghastly-news-unfolded-that-children-had-been-massacred-25-years-ago/