After the shooting, a rumour circulated that he had sought help from Melbourne University counselling service on the day of the shooting. The head of law at the University, Susie Nixon, later told "The Age" that while Vitkovic had once sought counselling during his career with the law school, reports that he had been at the university on the date of the shooting were "totally unfounded". He had not left his course with hostility and Nixon believed there was no direct link between the shooting and his "deferral" from his course. A former secretary of the club where Vitkovic played tennis said he often threw on-court tantrums and did not easily accept losses. He had won a singles championship in his first year at the club but left the next year after he lost the title.