This is everything we know about the man accused of the depraved Bourke St killings.

On Friday afternoon, as many spent their afternoon shopping and walking through what is arguably Melbourne’s most iconic strip, a man drove erratically and aggressively through the CBD, deliberately ploughing through crowds of innocent civilians.

Four are dead, and another 15 are injured.

In a press conference on Friday afternoon, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said the driver was a 26-year-old man known to police. He had, the Police Commissioner said, an “extensive family violence history” who has come to the attention of police “on many occasions in the past”.

“We have mental health and drug-related issues in the background of this particular person. He has been coming to our attention more recently over recent days in relation to assaults, family violence-related assaults. He was also charged by us over the course of last weekend,” Chief Commissioner Ashton said.

This is everything we know about the man accused of one of Melbourne’s most depraved acts.

The weeks before

A glance at the accused James 'Jimmy' Gargasoulas' Facebook page presents a worrying stream of statuses. Also named Dimitrious, the Greek version of the name James, in the weeks leading up to Friday's events, Gargasoulas posted what can be perceived as numerous ominous statuses.

On December 30, he wrote: "The next time you hear of a police officer being killed “in the line of duty,” take a moment to consider the very real possibility that maybe in that case, the “law enforcer” was the bad guy and the “cop killer” was the good guy. As it happens, that has been the case more often than not throughout human history.
F**k da [sic] police."

Weeks later, on January 14, he wrote: "I know exactly how to take you DOGS down the power of knowing has revealed and I shall have GODS laws re-instated."

And then, just days before he allegedly drove a stolen car through crowds of civilians, he wrote this on January 16: "I declare war on tyranny today you dogs will have the option to either believe in me and his positive energy he offers and stay faithful to me or serve the one who enslaves you at his feet I offer freedom no work no bulls just that we all keep faith and believe in the one god the one higher being for the good and protect the energy that he gives with your heart god bless everyone the world is about to change [sic] ."

The Age report Gargasoulas was bailed by a bail justice on Saturday after he was arrested in St Kilda for a number of alleged offences, including family violence and stealing another car.

The days before

At the press conference yesterday afternoon, Chief Commissioner Ashton said the driver was also involved in a stabbing the night before the Bourke St horror.

"You've rightly pointed out, there was an assault with a weapon on the brother of this offender that we were dealing with. But there was an assault on the partner of the offender's mother as well," he told journalists.

Sky News reports police were called to a housing commission property in Raleigh St, Windsor after reports of a stabbing at 2am on the Friday. However, when police arrived neither the victim or suspect were there. Later that morning, Angelo Gargasoulas, Jimmy's brother, presented at The Alfred with serious stab wounds.

It is alleged that this is the assault Gargasoulas was involved in, as confirmed by the Chief Commissioner.

In addition to this, 76-year-old Gavin Wilson, who resides in those same housing commission flats, told The Age he was assaulted by Gargasoulas on the Wednesday night before the Bourke St killings.

Wilson said Gargasoulas came to his flat with a Bible and lit it on fire before throwing it in Wilson's face.

"I flicked it onto the floor then he stood up and punched me," Mr Wilson said.

"Give me your keys or I'll gouge your eyes out," Mr Gargasoulas allegedly demanded, stealing Wilson's car which would then become the car Gargasoulas would drive into Bourke St later that week.

The day of

Police confirmed that on Friday morning, there was another female in the maroon sedan Gargasoulas had stolen from Wilson. It has been reported the female in the passenger seat of the car was being held hostage, and managed to escape on the Bolte Bridge.

Police reportedly began their pursuit of Gargasoulas after this, but called it off when nearing the Melbourne CBD due to safety concerns.

Gargasoulas had come into the city that morning from the inner western suburbs in the Yarraville area.

Upon entering the CBD, video has emerged on social media of the accused doing burn outs on the intersection of Flinders and Swanston St, deliberately holding up traffic on all sides of the intersection.

Footage of the burn outs at this intersection came just moments before he ploughed into pedestrians, Chief Commissioner confirmed.

"The vehicle proceeded up Swanston Street, then turned left into Bourke Street and entered the mall. At that point, that vehicle has commenced to hit pedestrians," he said on Friday.

Gargasoulas was then arrested and is in hospital after being shot in the arm by police.

It is believed five people, including an infant, are currently in a critical condition in hospital.