Alex Ophel is a former Australian National University (ANU) student who was accused of attempting to murder his tutor and four classmates with a baseball bat in 2017. He was found not guilty by reason of mental impairment in 2019 and was detained in a secure mental health facility. In 2023, he was arrested again for allegedly stabbing two people at the same university.
Quick Data
| Name | Alex Ophel |
| Date of Birth | 1999 |
| Age | 24 years |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Education | Bachelor of Science (Psychology) at ANU |
| Occupation | Former student |
| Criminal Charges | Attempted murder (5 counts), intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm (2 counts), assault occasioning actual bodily harm (1 count) |
| Criminal Status | Not guilty by reason of mental impairment; detained indefinitely |
Know All ABout Alex Ophel Recent Case
Alex Ophel became infamous for his violent attack on his tutor and classmates at ANU on August 25, 2017. He entered a statistics tutorial with a baseball bat hidden in a black duffel bag and started hitting people randomly. He injured five people, including his tutor and four students, before he was subdued by other students and security guards. He was arrested and charged with five counts of attempted murder.
Ophel pleaded not guilty to all charges by way of mental impairment. His lawyers argued that he was suffering from schizophrenia and had delusions that he was in a video game and had to kill people to advance to the next level. They also presented evidence that he had a history of mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
The prosecution disputed the mental impairment defense and claimed that Ophel was motivated by anger and resentment towards his tutor and classmates. They argued that he planned the attack in advance and had a clear intention to kill. They also presented evidence that he had searched online for topics such as “how to get away with murder”, “how to kill someone with a bat”, and “how to make a bomb”.
The trial lasted for three weeks and involved testimonies from the victims, witnesses, experts, and Ophel himself. On April 3, 2019, Justice Michael Elkaim found Ophel not guilty by reason of mental impairment and ordered him to be detained indefinitely in a secure mental health facility. He said that Ophel was suffering from a psychotic episode at the time of the attack and did not appreciate the nature and quality of his actions.
On September 18, 2023, Ophel was arrested again for allegedly stabbing two people at ANU. He reportedly escaped from the mental health facility where he was detained and returned to the university campus with a knife. He attacked a security guard and a student near the library before he was apprehended by police. He was charged with two counts of intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Girlfriend
Alex Ophel did not have a girlfriend at the time of his first attack in 2017. He had broken up with his ex-girlfriend, who was also an ANU student, a few months before the incident. He told the court that he felt lonely and isolated after the breakup and that he had no friends or social life at the university.
Ophel’s ex-girlfriend testified against him at the trial and said that he had become increasingly paranoid and obsessed with video games after their breakup. She said that he had accused her of cheating on him with his tutor and classmates and that he had threatened to kill them all. She also said that he had sent her disturbing messages and videos, such as one where he showed her a baseball bat and said “this is for you”.
Ophel’s ex-girlfriend also said that she had tried to help him with his mental health issues and encouraged him to seek professional help. She said that he had refused to take medication or see a psychiatrist and that he had blamed her for his problems. It is not known if Ophel had a girlfriend at the time of his second attack in 2023.
Mental Health Issues
Alex Ophel is a former Australian National University (ANU) student who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, a serious mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. He was found not guilty by reason of mental impairment of attempting to murder his tutor and four classmates with a baseball bat at ANU in 2017. He is currently detained in a secure mental health facility in Canberra, where he is undergoing treatment.
Schizophrenia is not caused by any single factor but is influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, psychological, and biological factors. People with schizophrenia may experience hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there), delusions (believing things that are not true), paranoia (feeling suspicious or fearful of others), disorganized speech (speaking incoherently or nonsensically), and negative symptoms (such as lack of motivation, emotion, or social interaction). Schizophrenia can be treated with medication, psychotherapy, and psychosocial support.
Alex Ophel’s mental health issues began during his first semester at ANU in 2017. He developed symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and disorganized thinking. He became obsessed with violent video games, such as Doom and Counter-Strike, and believed that he was living in a virtual reality. He also became socially withdrawn and isolated from his peers and family.
Ophel’s condition worsened in the weeks leading up to his attack on August 25, 2017. He stopped attending classes and tutorials and spent most of his time playing video games in his room. He also made several online searches for topics related to murder, weapons, and explosives. He bought a baseball bat from a sports store and hid it in his duffel bag.
On the day of the attack, Ophel left his room with the baseball bat and walked to the Copland Building, where his statistics tutorial was held. He entered the classroom at 9:15 a.m. and started hitting people with the bat without warning or provocation. He injured five people before he was stopped by other students and security guards.
Parents
Alex Ophel’s parents are Ophel Sr and Alison Child. They are both retired public servants who live in Canberra. They have two other sons besides Alex.
Ophel’s parents supported him throughout his trial and said that they loved him unconditionally. They said that they were shocked and devastated by his actions and that they did not recognize him as their son. They also said that they were unaware of his mental illness and that they wished they could have done more to help him.
Ophel’s parents also expressed their sympathy and remorse to the victims and their families and said that they hoped they could recover from their injuries and trauma. Ophel’s parents have not commented publicly on his second attack in 2023.
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Biography, Age
Alex Ophel was born in 1999 making him 24 years old as of 2023. He was born in Canberra, Australia. He attended Telopea Park School and Narrabundah College, where he was a high-achieving student who excelled in mathematics and science. He also played soccer and cricket and was interested in music and video games.
Ophel enrolled in a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) degree at ANU in 2017. He had aspirations to become a clinical psychologist or a neuroscientist. He lived on campus at Bruce Hall, a residential college for students.
Ophel’s mental health deteriorated during his first semester at ANU. He developed symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and disorganized thinking. He became obsessed with violent video games, such as Doom and Counter-Strike, and believed that he was living in a virtual reality. He also became socially withdrawn and isolated from his peers and family.
Ophel’s condition worsened in the weeks leading up to his attack on August 25, 2017. He stopped attending classes and tutorials and spent most of his time playing video games in his room. He also made several online searches for topics related to murder, weapons, and explosives. He bought a baseball bat from a sports store and hid it in his duffel bag.
On the day of the attack, Ophel left his room with the baseball bat and walked to the Copland Building, where his statistics tutorial was held. He entered the classroom at 9:15 a.m. and started hitting people with the bat without warning or provocation. He injured five people before he was stopped by other students and security guards. He was arrested by police shortly after.
Ophel was charged with five counts of attempted murder and pleaded not guilty by way of mental impairment. He underwent several psychiatric assessments and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He was found not guilty by reason of mental impairment by Justice Michael Elkaim on April 3, 2019, and was ordered to be detained indefinitely in a secure mental health facility.
On September 18, 2023, Ophel escaped from the mental health facility and returned to ANU with a knife. He stabbed two people near the library before he was arrested by police again. He was charged with two counts of intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Where is Alex Ophel Now?
According to the web search results, Alex Ophel is currently detained in a secure mental health facility in Canberra. He was found not guilty by reason of mental impairment of attempting to murder his tutor and four classmates with a baseball bat at ANU in 2017.
He was given an indicative sentence of 10 years and four months in jail, but he will remain in the facility until he is no longer considered a danger to himself or others. He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is undergoing treatment.
