Mayhem reigned in London’s Tottenham Court Road at midday on SEPTEMBER 27th, 1912, when Stephen Titus, a 28-year-old Armenian, went berserk with a revolver. He first shot and killed a barmaid at the Horseshoe Hotel. Then he shot another barmaid in the shoulder. His next victim was a customer in the bar, who was shot in the face and died from his injuries three weeks later.

As Titus left the hotel he shot a man who had arrived to seek a job. This shooting was witnessed by John Starchfield, a newsvendor who was shot in the intestines as he tried to tackle the gunman. Then as Titus reloaded he was floored and overpowered by a bath attendant, George Holding.

At his trial on November 11th, 1912, Titus was found guilty of murder but insane, and he was committed to an asylum.