Michael Robert Ryan was born on May 18, 1960, in Hungerford, Berkshire, England. He lived most of his life in this quiet market town, known for its countryside and small community atmosphere. Ryan was described by those who knew him as socially awkward, withdrawn, and solitary. Raised as an only child, he developed an intense interest in firearms and military paraphernalia from a young age. He frequently dressed in combat gear, collected weapons legally, and was known to practice shooting in rural areas.

Though considered polite by acquaintances, Ryan had no close friends and lived with his mother, Dorothy Ryan, in their family home on South View. He briefly worked as a laborer and in a government youth training program, but was largely unemployed by the time of the massacre. His mental health had reportedly been deteriorating in the years prior, though no formal diagnosis or treatment had been publicly documented. Despite his isolation, Ryan was able to obtain multiple firearms legally, under British gun laws at the time, including a Type 56 semi-automatic rifle, an M1 carbine, and a Beretta 9mm pistol.

In the weeks leading up to the massacre, Ryan appeared agitated and reclusive. He had reportedly been upset over the recent death of his father and was struggling with feelings of alienation. However, no specific trigger for the events of August 19, 1987, was ever definitively established. Investigators later concluded that he acted alone and without clear motive, and no suicide note or manifesto was recovered.

On August 19, 1987, Michael Ryan carried out one of the worst mass shootings in British history in a violent rampage that spanned two counties—Wiltshire and Berkshire—and ultimately ended in his suicide. Armed with three legally-owned firearms and dressed in black combat gear, Ryan began his killing spree in Savernake Forest, approximately seven miles from Hungerford.

At around 12:30 p.m., Ryan encountered 35-year-old Susan Godfrey and her two young children, who were picnicking in the forest. After forcing Godfrey to walk away from her children at gunpoint, he shot her 13 times with his Beretta pistol. Her children were later found by a passerby and safely rescued. Moments later, Ryan stopped at the Golden Arrow petrol station in Froxfield, where he attempted to shoot the cashier. The weapon jammed or malfunctioned, allowing the woman to escape and call emergency services. These early attacks triggered separate police responses in Wiltshire and Berkshire, delaying coordinated action.

Ryan then returned to his hometown of Hungerford, arriving at his home on South View around 12:45 p.m.. Witnesses described him as visibly upset. Inside the house, he shot and killed the family dogs before setting fire to the home using petrol. He then armed himself with his weapons, donned survival gear and a flak jacket, and exited the burning house. On the street, he killed neighbors Roland and Sheila Mason, and shot a 14-year-old girl, who survived despite severe leg wounds. He also injured another neighbor, Marjorie Jackson, in the back.

Continuing on foot, Ryan shot and killed 51-year-old Kenneth Clements on Hungerford Common, before returning to South View. Police by this point had received multiple emergency calls and began attempting to seal off the area. Officer PC Roger Brereton was one of the first responders. Ryan fired into his police car, hitting him in the chest, then fatally shooting him again with his rifle as the officer tried to radio for backup.

Over the next two hours, Ryan moved through the town on foot, shooting at anyone in his path. He killed or wounded multiple residents on Fairview Road, Priory Road, Bulpit Lane, and School Walk, including his own mother, Dorothy Ryan, who was found dead outside her car near the town’s Memorial Gardens. Ryan then entered John O'Gaunt School, which was closed for summer break, and barricaded himself inside.

At approximately 6:52 p.m., after hours of negotiation attempts, and with police surrounding the area, Michael Ryan took his own life in a school classroom. In total, 16 people were murdered, including his mother and unarmed PC Roger Brereton, and 15 others were injured.