The man who allegedly ploughed through dozens of pedestrians on a rampage through the Melbourne CBD has a history of drug abuse, violence and mental issues.

Dimitrious Gargasoulas, 26, ranted about the Illuminati, called unbelievers 'dogs', and vowed to 'have god's laws re-instated' in the weeks before the attack that killed four people.

'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,' he wrote on Facebook on Monday.

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Dimitrious Gargasoulas (R), 26, had a history of drug abuse, violence and mental issues before he allegedly ploughed through dozens of pedestrians on a rampage through Melbourne

The rampage killed four people including a baby and injured another two dozen

'I offer freedom no work no bills 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 in the world it is about to change xoxo.'

He claimed to be 'Greek Islamic Kurdish' and a follower of Yazdanism, the native religion of the Kurds before the arrival of Islam, also know as the 'cult of Angels'.

'I know exactly how to take you DOGS down the power of knowing has revealed and I shall have GODS laws re-instated,' he wrote last Saturday.

He ranted about the Illuminati, called unbelievers 'dogs', and vowed to 'have god's laws re-instated' in the weeks before the attack

His most recent disturbing rant on Monday saying the world was 'about to change'

He claimed to be 'Greek Islamic Kurdish' and a follower of Yazdanism, the native religion of the Kurds before the arrival of Islam, also know as the 'cult of Angels'

'I know exactly how to take you DOGS down the power of knowing has revealed and I shall have GODS laws re-instated,' he wrote last Saturday

An hour earlier he ranted about connections between Scientology, the Illuminati, and the Free Masons, who would 'do anything in the power to dominate the world'.

He claimed they would 'take on the new world order' and that women would run the world because god's laws had been 'overwritten by human laws'.

A close friend said Gargasoulas' rantings were driven by heavy use of the drug ice, and that he had recently converted to Islam.

'He was a great guy but ice destroyed him. Then he converted to Muslim and changed very quickly. For over a month he's been on edge,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'He stabbed his brother in the face and beat up his poor mother I knew this bloke really well... I'm not sticking up for him whatsoever and he deserves to be punished for what he's done, but that evil drug ice was the cause of this.

An hour earlier he ranted about connections between Scientology, the Illuminati, and the Free Masons, who would 'do anything in the power to dominate the world'

'Just take one look at his statuses over the past month and it's clear as day that he had gone into psychosis. He was saying there was a comet heading for Earth.'

Gargasoulas' longest and earliest rambling on January 9 claimed god had given him wisdom and knowledge and 'awoken' him, and included a chilling premonition.

'Keep in mind good will always prevail over evil and that is exactly whats to come in the following days weeks and so forth somebody tried to f*** me,' he wrote.

'I'll take you all out just me you need an army to take me.

'I'm a genuine good sexy young guy. And that I've experienced days and nights I thought I'd never experience in my life since I got to Melbourne. Well guess what... I've been blessed... And now your (sic) f**ked.'

On Thursday night, just hours before the attack, he checked in on Facebook at St Kilda watering hole The Dog's Bar, and implied he was wondering how to punish the unbelieving 'dogs'.

'Thinking. About what to do with them lol,' he wrote next to it.

On December 30 he urged his friends to consider that when a police officer was killed on duty, maybe 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 police,' he wrote.

'I'm a genuine good sexy young guy. And that I've experienced days and nights I thought I'd never experience in my life since I got to Melbourne. Well guess what... I've been blessed... And now your (sic) f**ked,' he said

How the 12-hour rampage unfolded: He allegedly stabbed his brother at his home (1), took a hostage before letting her out on the Bolte Bridge (2) and led police on a wild car chase towards the city (3)

Gargasoulas' longest and earliest rambling on January 9 claimed god had given him wisdom and knowledge and 'awoken' him, and included a chilling premonition

Just hours before the attack, he checked in on Facebook at St Kilda watering hole The Dog's Bar, and implied he was wondering how to punish the unbelieving 'dogs'.

On December 30 he urged his friends to consider that when a police officer was killed on duty, maybe the 'cop killer was the good guy'

Gargasoulas was on bail for assaulting his mother's partner on Saturday when his trail of destruction began, ending with four dead and at least 25 injured.

He on Wednesday allegedly stole the maroon Holden Commodore used in the attack on Bourke Street mall from an elderly neighbour.

Gavin Wilson, 76, said Gargasoulas came into his apartment, in the same housing commission block as the young man shared with his mother, brandishing a bible.

Gargasoulas then sat down and lit the bible on fire before throwing it into Mr Wilson's face, before attacking him.

'Give me your keys or I'll gouge your eyes out,' Gargasoulas allegedly demanded, Mr Wilson told The Age.

The rampage finally came to an end when he mounted the kerb at 555 Bourke Street and came to a stop after police shot him the arm

Police arrested a man wearing nothing but red underwear following the incident in Melbourne

Before Gargasoulas attacked his brother, witnesses claim the 26-year-old 'appeared to be on drugs' and was told to leave Acland street McDonald's at about 10pm, according to The Herald Sun.

The young man then allegedly stabbed his brother Angelo with a kitchen knife during an argument at 2am on Friday.

Neighbours said they heard the pair arguing and a female voice saying ‘if you don’t stop, I’m going to call the police’, but both were gone when officers arrived.

'He had a knife and he was hacking at either a guy or a girl, I don't know,' Jess Bergin told The Age.

She said Angelo and another woman got into a waiting car, and then the knife-wielding Gargasoulas began hacking at the car.

A pram was dragged 100 metres through the middle of Melbourne's city centre by the car involved in today's horrific rampage, witnesses say

Horrified pedestrians have been filmed running for their lives from the car that smashed into at least 25 people in Melbourne

A family member also said the young man had a drug problem and was in and out of jail for car theft and drug offences.

Chief Commissioner Craig Ashton also said the man accused of the rampage through Bourke Street had a history of family violence.

'He has come to our attention on many occasions in the past. We have mental health and drug-related issues in the background of this particular person,' he said.

Later that morning he led police on a wild car chase through Melbourne with a female hostage in the passenger seat, who police said was 'not connected' to him.

The woman escaped or was let out of the car on the Bolte Bridge near Docklands just west of the Melbourne CBD.

Police gave up their pursuit soon after as the car was moving erratically and it was feared bystanders could be injured.

Helicopters kept track of his movements as officers hoped to find another opportunity to stop him, but instead watched in horror as he drove into the city.