On March 13, 1996, 43-year-old Hamilton stormed into a Dunblane Primary School armed with 4 guns. He entered a gymnasium where 29 5 to 6 year-olds were playing and shot 16 of them and 1 teacher dead, another teacher and a dozen more children were wounded. He then turned the gun on himself.

Thomas Hamilton was known as a gun collector and scout master who liked to teach boys with their shirts off and take photos of them. Thomas Hamilton was nicknamed "Mr. Creepy" by the boys of Dunblane. His fixation with boys got him dropped by the boy scouts.

Disgruntled, many years later, he wrote a letter to the Queen complaining about a campaign to ruin his reputation just one week before he made his deranged attack.

Dunblane, Scotland, with a population of around 7,500, was visited by John Major and the Queen after the Tragedy. The gymnasium was demolished and replaced with a play area and flower garden.