Out of the Blue (2006) - full transcript

Ordinary people find extraordinary courage in the face of madness. On 13-14 November 1990 that madness came to Aramoana, a small New Zealand seaside village. It came in the form of a lone gunman with a high-powered semi-automatic rifle. As he stalked his victims the terrified and confused residents were trapped in the village for 24 hours while a handful of under-resourced and underarmed local policeman risked their lives trying to find him and save the survivors. By dawn 13 people lay dead. This is a true story.

Blue smoke goes drifting by

Into the deep blue sky

When I think of home

I sadly sigh

Hello, Tim.

Oh, I can see you there...

I salute the flag...

...in my liberty and justice.

Shut up!

Ah, you old bastard.

Get out of bed, you lazy
bugger-on Braithwaite.



Never done a tap in your life.

...with a longing to stay

I promise to be true

And to love only you

Blue smoke goes drifting by

Into the deep blue skies

My memories of home

Will never die

Come on, boy.

Dad.

I'm going without you, Jasmine.

I don't want to come.

Come on. I'll race you.

I'll beat you.



...times 19.

In Wellington,

rain with strong southerlies at 17.

Christchurch, cloud clearing,

moderate southerlies at 18,

and Dunedin fine with light winds

and a high of 17.

Radio New Zealand News,
it's 8 minutes past 7.

Hmm.

Mm. Mmm.

I'll change your sheets
and put them through.

Did you put your towel out?

I'll do it, Mum.

Did you put your towel out?

Your towel, Jimmy.

Mmm. Hmm?

I wish you wouldn't feed
that dog while you're eating.

You just don't like him.
Does she?

Dogs have to have breakfast, too.

Otherwise, how would they look after
Mum when I'm away?

Oh ho ho ho ho!

Do you mind
if I have a look around?

There's been washing missing.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

Underwear. Off clotheslines.

Come on, sweetheart.

Can I have a bowl of fizzie?

You don't drink fizzie.

Dad lets me.

Hey, Jasmine.
Good morning, Chiquita.

Good morning.

Where's your dad?

He's on his way.

What's the matter?

Mum says fizzie's poison.

Will you take these in?

If it was poison,
I'd be dead already.

Hi there.

Hey.

Grr!

Mmm.

Ecch!

Come on.

Oy. Oy, oy.

Lunches.

Come on, you guys.

Five clients today.

Four bods and my mum.

Going to tell her?

Yeah. Yeah. She'll...

Did you tell Rewa?

Not yet.

How about the girls?

You tell them, Julie-Anne.

Why?

Okay.

And all here together
for dinner, shall we?

Goose dinner.

Jason's birthday present.

Oh.

Got your keys?

Got my keys.

Glasses?

Got your head?

My head? I think.

Well, don't forget to tell
Heather I want to see her...

I won't forget.

Oh.

Tina!

Hurry up, you two!

Good morning, Stu.

Morning, Nick.

Two sugars.

Stirred.

Stirred.

Ohh...

Okay, I'll take care of these.

They're linked?

Not... No, no.
Don't think so.

Dogs.

Father lost another five ewes.

Two dogs.

Very timely.

I'll head up there this afternoon.

Yeah, you probably aren't
going to find them.

Take a rifle up with you.

It will look like we mean action.

There.

Here we go.

Reports.

Barbecue at the crib Sunday
if the weather holds?

Mate, if the weather holds,
I'll be on the bloody roof.

I'll tell Fiona.

I'll bring Jordan out.

I'll give you a hand
with the roof Saturday morning.

All right. You're on.

Oh, hey, Stu,
keys to the gun, please.

Banker's check made out to
Frontier Guns and Ammunition.

That it, Mr. Gray?

There's a banking fee
of $2.00 on that check.

$2.00.

It's the standard fee

for a bank check, Mr. Gray.

You've never charged me before.

No way.

There's no way.

I've banked here all my life.

My father used to bank here.

No wayl

I've banked here all my lifel

My father banked herel

Am I not his son?

Well?

All right?

It's my moneyl

I've got a rightl

It's my moneyl

It's been giving me gyp, Gar.

If I want to see behind me,
I have to turn my whole body.

Ow.

Relax, Mum.

You're tight as a drum.

Pain is just a symptom.

You've got to ask yourself why.

It's a mother chakra.

Smoking buggers her up.
Don't smoke.

Gar, no lecture.
Just the massage.

Quietly.

Julie-Anne and I,
we're going to move in together.

We get on, you know?
Our energies.

What do you think?

What do the kids think?

When?

We'll tell them tonight.

I wanted you to...

Well, I'm happy for you.

I wish you both well.
Of course I do.

The kids will be okay.

They tell me...

Oh, bloody David.

Leave those bloody dogs alone!
So help me I'll...

David!

He gets worse and worse.

Like here goes.
He's got a pile of rocks out there.

He just sits there and...

You and he used to be...

And then he helped you
build this place.

Baby-sat your kids.

Years ago, Ma.

Lately he's...

Guy's eccentric, Gar.

No crime in being eccentric,

or they'd lock up half the Spit.

They'd lock you up.

Help you?

I called you about a Papoose.

Gray. David Gray.

Oh, yeah. I put it away for you, mate.

Best balanced sporting rifle about,

from what I read and what I hear.

Yeah, probably, for the price,

Winchester or Remington

probably best of the range, but...

Tough fellow, too, eh?

Thanks.

See.

Nice.

But not too heavy.

Good in the hand.

Good weight.

Nice action.

All-weather.

Probably best all-weather
at that price.

Nice. Nice.

Take a silencer?

Not much call for a silencer
on a. 22 like this one.

No. You could, right?

We can get a thread
put on it for you.

You want to look at a silencer?

No.

Tell you what.

Put the thread on.

I'll put a deposit on it.

I'll come back and pay the balance.

Okay.

Friday, okay? Next Friday.

100 deposit.

Suits me.

Appreciate your professional approach.

You don't get it everywhere.

A bad day?

Town's full of idiots and incompetents.

I know what you mean, mate.

I'm not a Peeping Tom, Stu.

No? Well, people see you
sneaking around at night.

You got a girlfriend?

David! The mail came for you.

Mum, we're home!

Hi!

Hi. Julie-Anne, it's Friday!

Come on. Mind what's happening
to you, or you won't get any.

Oh.

All homemade.
There was no poison.

- Mm.
- Mm.

I've got something to tell you.

Can we go down to the beach?

Quiet, you kids, all of you.

Shh! Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh!

All right, what I want to say...

Oh, look, you get on so well together.

We all do. And, um...

here you all are.

I love you all. I really do.

Garry and I, we love
each other very much,

and we want for us all to be together.

What do you think of that?

Hmm?

Which house?

Which one?

That's not fair.

I want to live at my house

with my mum and my dad.

I don't want to live with Garry.

I want to live with you.

Yeah, it's all right, kikabhai.

I'll always be here.

Your dad will still be your dad.

Garry will just be Garry.

I'm staying with Dad.

It's not fair.

Okay, nobody has to do anything

they don't want to do.

I'm going to the beach.

I'm going where my dad is.

I've got one photo
left in the camera.

Come on, you guys. Outside.

Come on. Outside, you lot.

Chop-chop.

You're going to go down
to the beach with your dad?

Race you!

I'll beat you!

Ya ya ya ya ya

What are you going to do with this?

Going to get the party started.

Oh.

Ya ya

All right.

Turn that bloody thing down,

you selfish bugger!

Hello, Ma.

Hi.

Hey, hey, what have I got for you?

Look at that.

Oh, yum. Oh, yum.
It's good to see you.

I did the washing.

You didn't get around to the lawn.

You're slipping, Mum.

Get out now.

You'll catch the last of the sun.

Slave driver.

Come on, come on, come on.

All right.

Would you like to bless
our food, Chiquita?

Jasmine? Rewa?

Okay.

E te Atua.

Bless this food, O Lord,

and your tamariki
Jasmine, Rewa, Chiquita,

and Garry and me,

so that by eating well
we will live well

and be happy together.

Ake, ake, ake.

Amen.

Dig in.

Yum.

I just wanted to say...

I'm very, very happy.

After you?

Useless.

Patch!

Patch?

Patch! Here, boy!

Garry said he'd fix your bike, Rewa.

Why don't you help him?

Can I be excused, too, Julie-Anne?

Yeah. Away you go.

Have you seen Patch, Mum?

Oh, he'll be down
in the ditch, son.

That's where he goes.

Come on, Patch!

I think I'll go and help Dad, too.

Get off my property!

You think you own the place!

Get out of there,
you trespassing horror!

Don't talk to my kids like that.

Calm down, David. Go on.

Don't you tell me what to do.

Think you're king of Aramoana.

This is my property, and I'll...

Yeah, you got something,
you sort it with me.

Why are they yelling?

Fuck you, Garry!

You stay away from my girls!

Shit.

Inside!

Fireworks?

Too late for fireworks, Vic.

I'll take a look.

What happened?

Did you cut yourself?

Julie-Anne! Julie-Anne!

Oh, little dear.

David shot me!

He shot me!

And he shot Dad!
Dad's lying on the grass!

My God!

Oh, God.

- He's dead, he...
- Wait there.

Bullet to the head.

Sweetheart, hold this to you.

And Rewa and Jasmine,
they were in the house.

Take this. Oh, God.

And David...

Get in there.

I'm going to take you
in the van, darling.

I'm going to put you in.

Oh, my God.

Come on, get in there.

In the van.

It'll be all right.

Oh, God.

Rewa!

- I'm scared, Julie-Anne.
- Rewa!

Julie-Anne, I'm scared.

I'm scared!

I'm coming back, sweetheart!

Get down!

I'm coming back!

Get down! Get down, Chiquita!

Is that a backfire?

Shit.

It's on fire!
Garry's place is on fire!

I'll get Tim!

Tim, wake up!
Holden's place is on fire!

Wake up, Tim!
We're going to need your room!

Never, I tell ya.

Jesus Christ.

What the hell's going on?

Get out! Get out!

David's got a gun!

I think he's gone bloody!
Now get out!

Go! Get out!

Okay, put them...

Jesus Christ.
Leave the goat!

Come on!

The key.

Chiquita's dad is dead.

Hold on. Hold on, love.

You all right?

Look! It's on fire!

Stanley, look!

What in the bloody
hell's going on?

Stanley, whatever can we do?

How about getting
into the bloody fire?

- Kids, stay down!
- Don't move!

Stay down, kids!

No! Stay down!

There's a man with a gun!

Get out of the way!

What's going on?

The man in the car said something...

Said a gun.

A gun.

Hey, that's a fire.

By golly, it is, too.

Gee... Gee...

Run!

Oh! Oh!

Run! Run!

I can't!

Aah!

Aah! Aah!

Oh...

Oh, God.

Are you all right?

I... I'll come over there.

Don't. Don't.

I need an ambulance.

I'll get... I'll get Jimmy.

I've just had my hips done.

Well...

hang on.

It might take me a bit.

Ah, shit.

Ohh!

Mum, wait!

You're all right, sweetie.

What happened to her?

Have you seen Rewa or Jasmine?

Have you seen Rewa?

Rewa, Rewa, Rewa!

Rewa!

Oh!

Jimmy.

Jimmy!

Are you here, son?

There's a johnny out here
shooting people.

Nick? Phone.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Gray is the offender.

Yeah. Roger. David Gray, 37 years,

uh, he's certainly eccentric.

Is that you?

The... The man said
the ambulance is on its way.

Oh, good idea.

And the police are on their way, too,

so you'll soon be out of it.

I don't think I know you.

Yes, you do.

I'm Jimmy Dickson's mother.

Jimmy, with the little dog.

Oh, yeah. Patch.

Yeah.

He hasn't come home.

I'm worried about him.

How old is he?

45.

Oh. Well, he'll be lying low.

Oh, have you got a wife?

I should be ringing her.

I'm divorced. Twice.

Ha. Made a bit of a mess of my... ha...

Any children?

Don't see them very much.

Well, they're busy these days.

Yeah.

I see Jimmy all the time.

Oh.

And Heather keeps an eye on me.

Huh?

She's my daughter-in-law, really,

but we're very close.

Right.

How are you going?

Not so good.

Is that a siren?

I'll give that ambulance
another call, shall I?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Approaching?

Go ahead.

Approaching Whataroa Bay,

which would mean 3 or 4
minutes away from the scene.

Just approaching
the roadblock now.

History, the man was shot a short time ago.

About a minute ago.

Confirming I've got Constable
Russell Anderson with me.

Save a bit of the fire for me, Sid.

Sorry, mate.
Didn't know you were coming.

What have you got?

38.

Armed Offenders is on its way.

Hey, Nick.

Gents.

Locked the station keys

in the safe, left it wide open.

You guys got any spare radios?
Mine's bust.

Just the car radio.

Darren.
I could've taken you out.

It's David Gray.
I've seen him.

Dirty Bird automatic.

Up here.

Can I shoot him if I see him?

Give your. 22 to Russell, Darren.

It's Dad's.

How many rounds you got?

About 15.

Good man.
You look after the car for me.

Shit. Hold up, Stu.

Officer Guthrie here.

Get full staff at Aramoana.

General fire order.

If you're approached
by this person

with an automatic weapon,

you are to identify him.

Call on him to surrender.

If he doesn't, he has to be shot.

Repeat. He can be shot.

Psst!

Shit. Scared the living
shit out of me.

Jesus.

Where's the offender?

I think he's in there.

You think?

I can hear him banging about.

Where's Stu?

He's around the back.

Should we just peel off?

Bugger off.

You got a radio?

No.

Russ, you go around
the south side.

Hook up with Paul, okay?

Okay.

I'll take this position here.

- Darren.
- Yeah?

Go back to the car radio.

Tell Stu we're in position.

Relay any orders from Stu
back here to me, okay?

Yeah. Good as gold.

Officer Guthrie.

We're receiving, sir.

We do not know
where the offender is,

but we are assuming
he is in his house.

What are you doing?

Want to see what's going on.

Fuck off.

Do you hear me? Fuck off.

If the madman doesn't shoot you,
I fucking will.

Now fuck off.

Jesus Christ.

Nick.

Nick.

Vanessa.

Is that you, Vanessa?

Nick. Nick, help me.

Help me.

Can you move?

I...

Can you move to me?

I... I can't.

I can't... Legs can't move.

Nick.

Nicky,

can you see the kids, Nick?

Can you see Stacey?

I'll be with you soon, Vanessa.

Nick, just find my babies.

Just find the kids, Nick.

Jimmy.

Jimmy?

Police emergency.

I rang you before.

The ambulance hasn't come.

Poor devil's very bad.

He'll be okay.

We want you to secure your house.

He's by himself out there.

I want you to shut the windows.

I should go back.

No. Shut your windows, lock the doors,

and keep out of sight.
Can you do that for me?

Lock the door.

Shut the window.

Keep out of sight.

Poor beggar.

Halt! Police!

Stop and put your firearms down!

I can see him.

The offender is on foot, can confirm.

He's got a backpack.
His face looks blackened.

Walking in a northerly direction.

Shall we to the others?

Shit.

I've lost sight of the offender.

Lost sight of him.

We're heading across the road

towards Harvey's position.

Nick.

You all right, mate?

I need to find my boy
and his friend on bikes.

Have you seen them?

No.

He's got fair hair.

Will you be all right?

We'll be back soon. I'm sorry.

Guthrie, ops.

I have eyeball on the back
of the offender's crib.

Stop, David!
Stop or I'll shoot!

Don't shoot!

Fuck.

Oh, shit, shit, shit.

I just got one shot at him,
and he's gone for cover.

Jesus. Something
exploded in the house,

which is making me very nervous.

Knox, copy?

Copy.

Sergeant Guthrie's been shot dead.

Repeat: Sergeant Guthrie
has been shot dead.

We require dogs
in the area immediately.

We've lost sight of the offender.

The phone's very loud, Heather.

I've rung the police.

They say there's nothing
to worry about, Gran.

But the man down by the phone box
is very bad.

Well, no one can get in or out, Gran,

not even the ambulance.

They've sealed the village off
for an hour or so.

Look, just stay where you are.

Ohh...

Are you all right, Gran?

Gran?

Yes.

I want to go
to the toilet, Heather.

I'm sure it's okay.

The toilet's outside.

Oh.

Use the shower.

I couldn't.
It's... It's unhygienic.

I'll clean it for you.

I'll scrub it, Gran, if you like.

Next time I'll ring you.

It's quieter.

Okay, love.

Uh, 20 minutes, see.

Right.

- On the dot.
- Mm-hmm.

What is the situation there?

Is there any member
of the public there

we can safely evacuate?

You reckon he's in there?

We could clear it.

Nick, we don't have
the training for this.

I could have shot him.

He was square in my sights.

I waited...

hesitated.

Fucking gone.

Come on.
Let's get rid of these guns.

Shh.

Ness.

Vivian?

You hold on, girl. Hold on.

Stop.

I'll be back.

Please don't shoot me. Please.

Please don't.

I'm not going
to shoot you, sweetie.

Stacey?

I'm Paul. We're policemen.
We're here to help.

Okay?

Stacey, you know me.

I'm Jordan's dad, Nick.
You remember?

Yeah.

Do you know
Leo and Dion, too?

They're asleep.

Okay, look, sweetie,

everything's going to be
all right, okay?

Sweetheart, okay?
We're here to help.

I'm just going to be down here.
I'll be right back.

We got to get them out of here.

Use your ute.

I may have lost my keys.

Fuck.

One of us has to go for help.

You go.

If you see him, you shoot him.

Don't hesitate.

Ness, I got Stacey.

Huh?

You hang on, girl.

You hang on. Stay awake.

We're going to get you
out of here, okay?

Okay? Hang on.

Whereabouts do you live, Stacey?

Mercury's Bay.

My tummy hurts.

Do you want me to lift you down?

I want to stay with Dion and Leo.

Okay.
Are you cold, sweetie?

It's okay.

It's okay. It's okay.

We're safe here.

Oh, yeah.

Knox, it's Harvey.

It's cleared.

Okay. you're on.

We're going to get you out of here.

Okay, it's time to go.

Ness.

Here you go.

Yeah. They all right?

It's okay.

Hey, Stace.

Do you remember

when I came to your kindie?

And you and Jordan were
playing on the jungle gym.

Do you remember that? Yeah?

And you had
the big wooden truck,

and Jordan was in the back,

and I pushed you guys.

Yeah.

And then your teacher, Mrs., uh...

What's her name?

What was the teacher's name?

Mrs. Ivey.

Ah, Mrs. Ivey.

She read us that story.

Hairy McClary.

From Donaldson's Dairy.

Hercules Morse,

as big as a horse.

Bitzer Maloney.

All?

Skinny and bony?

Yeah.

And Muffin McLay...

like...

A bundle of hay.

And Scarface Claws.

The toughest tom in town.

That's it, that's it.

And he raced them,
and he chased them

all the way home.

Stace, hey, look at me.

That's it, that's it.
You can stay awake.

And he raced them,
and he chased them

all the way home.

Yeah. Good.

That's a girl.

Patch?

Hang on. Hang on, Patch. Hang on.

Oh, you little horror.

Ohh...

Where does it hurt, Patch?

Where does it hurt?

...Wales and the New Zealand
Governor General...

...doesn't sound too rosy.

...because David loved...

She did talk
to her son himself.

She sort of feels
that maybe one or two...

...his family is staying

with his sister's
family in Johannesburg.

But he says having
everyone together

has been a great boost
for his mother.

He says she's been
completely overwhelmed...

I heard a policeman
had been shot.

I thought it was you.

It was Stu.

It was Stu.

Those kids...

and Vanessa.

There.

Oh...

Oh, Nick.

Shots firedl He fired shots at usl

People in Aramoana,
near Dunedin,

are waking this morning to a tragedy

which hit the tiny township last night,

leaving at least two dead,
several missing...

...feared dead.

...might meet again

outside David Gray's house.

...have told New Zealand News

as many as eight people
have been slaughtered

in the Utakura Harbor town.

Others have been told

to pull their blinds
and stay inside.

If they venture outside,
there is a possibility...

They may have
to shoot the crazed gunman

on the loose in
Aramoana near Dunedin.

Just a revised death toll
from the police

on the Aramoana shooting.

There are now 11 people
dead from the shooting.

Uh, they include three children...

two boys and a girl...

a number of women...

Gran?

I... I went to sleep, Heather.

I was worried.

It's been on for an hour.

What about Jimmy, yeah?

I think of him lying
out there somewhere.

You mustn't, Gran.

Cold and hurt.

We're all here together, Gran,

waiting for you.

Phillip has come over

and Honey and Jason.

You're doing so well, darling.

We're so proud of you.

Down there, down there.

Drop your weapons
or be fired upon.

Oh, good. Good.

There's a tear

In my eye

And an ocean of swallowed pride

There's a heart here

That beats like a drum

As I sing the waters by

Ties that comfort

Ties that bind

There's a temple in my mind

With an altar

Set for you

So you know my word is true

And I will not let you down

I will not let you down

That's for sure

I will not let you down

I will not let you down

That's for sure

I will not let you down

I will not let you down

Anymore