In this episode of the Targeted Violence Podcast, we speak with Emeritus Professor Paul Mullen — one of the world’s leading forensic psychiatrists — about his assessment of Martin Bryant, the perpetrator of the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre in Tasmania.

Professor Mullen shares insights from his extensive experience examining some of the most significant mass casualty events, including the Aramoana shooting in New Zealand and the Hoddle Street massacre in Melbourne.

We also discuss his new book, Running Amok: Inside the Mind of the Lone Mass Killer, and explore his groundbreaking work with the Fixated Research Group and the establishment of Fixated Threat Assessment Centres — initiatives that have been instrumental in preventing grievance-fuelled and fixated violence.

The conversation delves into the psychology of lone actors, the role of grievances and violent fantasies, and the complexities of assessing risk among individuals who pose a threat of serious harm.