Dreams about killing, murder, shooting others – what do they mean? (dream interpretation killing, murder)
Dream interpretation killing, to kill, murder. Dreaming that you are killing other people might mean many things. Those you kill could symbolize something in yourself that you can’t or won’t approve of (realise about yourself) or something you’d like to get rid of. Most will tell you however, that this simply isn’t possible. At best, you can be aware of these sides of yourself and work on accepting them in order to control them better.
It might also be the case that there’s an internal battle between different sides of you. For example, the “nice” man/woman is battling a more rough/straight forward/shameless side of yourself. In this way you might see another person (representing the “nice” version of you), hitting another person (representing the more rough or shameless side of you).
You might also dream about killing your parents. To a lot of people this will seem very intense and very difficult to understand at first. Why would I want to kill my own parents? In this case, you might ask yourself if you have any reason to be angry or upset with them. Maybe there is something in your relationship with your parents that has yet to be dealt with – something you haven’t spotted that would give you a reason to be (unconsciously) angry with them even though you normally think your parents have been nothing but “good”.
–
When trying to understand your dreams it is important to know that your dreams are… your dreams. As such, you are the best person to figure out the true meaning of your dreams.
However, it is important to learn how to generally approach your dreams. Dream dictionaries like this one are only a supplement, and if you want to fully utilize the potential of your dreams, you should start at a different place.
My online course “Unlock your DREAMlife” gives you a great foundation for understanding (and recalling) your dreams.
–
Similarly, you might dream that you are killing your children. Of course, this is out of proportion to real life, but again, you might ask yourself, hypothetically, is there any reason you’d somehow wish your children weren’t here right now? I’ve coached several people with this exact dream. They felt angry about having had children too early in life with the result of a “ruined” youth. In daily life, this translated into being excessively strict with their children (often telling them off for example, where this is not appropriate), and in the language of dreams this translated into killing the children.
In an internal interpretation, the dream might also symbolize killing your own “inner child”. In other words, you are not accommodating this (vital) part of yourself – the ability to let go, to let your hair down, to be curious and open. If you are killing another (maybe unknown) child, this may illustrate the same, but it might also symbolize that you are suppressing a part of yourself. This part could be anything: your musicality, your inner geek, or your inner square dancer – whatever the child could symbolize!
If you are dreaming that you are killing other people, this may symbolize that something in you does not want you as you are or that you would like you to see yourself differently – for better or for worse! Perhaps it is better that you “die” (that your current personality dies) in order for something else – something better – to appear (see also the blog post on Death). The dream might also be an image of a very self-destructive side of yourself that is making life difficult for you. Finally and as a further external interpretation, the dream might also be a real person in your life who wishes bad things for you.
Dream dictionaries are a very helpful tool when interpreting dreams. However, generally learning how to approach your dreams, will give you a better foundation for understanding them. My online course “Unlock your DREAMlife” teaches you how to much better utilize – recall and understand – your dreams.
Also read: Why I no longer interpret dreams for free
Best, Michael
Return to the index of dream themes and symbols:
Dream interpretation A-Z ↵
NOTE: Dream interpretation isn’t always easy, and when you are dreaming about killing other people, it will most likely mean something different for you than for others with the same dream. For instance the people in your dream will be different from other people’s dreams. A good indicator of your interpretation being correct is if you strongly feel it applies to you – deep inside of yourself.
I had a dream in which I was a special operations member. We were raiding a house and I shot and killed a woman. Her ghost/outline of her soul followed me throughout my dream. Then the building changed into a tower and at the top floor there were explosives rigged to blow, we had a lot of time to try and defuse them. Two of our team members were stuck at the top floor so when I saw these two men walking into the building I followed them up the elevator, I soon realized they were the ones that set the explosives because one of them pointed out a defused bomb in the back corner of the elevator stating “they got that one” then looking at his partner, I immediately knew they were the enemy, but I didn’t kill them I gave them fistbumps and smiled because I didn’t want to die. The elevator opened on the 17th floor and I saw my two team members
Struggling with a man carrying a gun. I pointed my rifle at the man and starting spraying him with rounds. He kept coming closer and closer to me not dropping to the floor, we got into hand to hand combat and I was able to knock him down. What disturbed me most about what I did next to him really freaked me out. I started shooting him in the head at least thirty times, putting a hole that filled itself with a watery blood. Everyone in the elevator was disgusted with me and the woman I had killed earlier was standing there, no expression, no feeling, not saying anything. During the last parts of the dream before I woke up I started to not care about the killings and I felt I had brought justice, I called myself the arbiter. Thank you for listening to my dream if anyone reads this.
My dream was complicated but I’ll try and talk out the ones that makes more sense! I had a dream that me and my sister were driving to someone else’s house to get something before heading home.. and as we got closer the road was full of random men and most of them were business men. We drove slowly and look down on the road as we realised there were a lot of dead men lying on the road. All of them were shot. The road was misty as if the war was just finished. We drove past slowly. We saw some men were smoking and talking. The deeper we drove the more dead people we saw lying on the side of the road. Some of these men wore business clothes. We were terribly scared and wondering WHAT IN THE WORLD COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN AND WHY THERE WAS SO MANY DEAD PEOPLE! We got to our destination my sister’s friends house. We learnt that there was a group of assassins looking for one particular boy but they couldn’t find him, assuming some of those people that died took a part in hiding this boy so they shot em all. we rushed out of there as fast we could or we’ll die if we stay longer. We got out if the house, sone people were calling our names but we didn’t listen. It wasn’t a car this time. We got out and got on to a double bike. One was on the other. We drove that bike, my sister was about to get a heart attack from what she had just witnessed! She began panicking, getting weaker, but I kept pushing and begging her to stay a little more stronger because we were getting closer to home. She came back to her senses and began to push hard again. We made it home and I rushed in, shaking, saying hello to everyone in the house and telling them what had happened! Ir turns out it wasn’t just the boy but a group of athletic boys that the assassin were looking for ended up hidden in our home. I woke up straight away.
I had a dream of me and my father at the store and it looked like it was black Friday because everybody was fighting for different things. My dad reached for an object and also did someone else(it was a guy but he’s a blur in my dream). My dad started to get in an argument with the guy but he just told him he doesn’t want any trouble so we left. When we got outside we were driving out and the guy blocked the exit with his truck. Then, he got out and started yelling at us and pulled out a gun and shot him 3 times in front of my dad. He just looked at me and we both knew we have to get in the car and drive as fast as we could. When we stopped we were by the ocean and it looked like California ( where I been wanting to go ) and I felt happy to be with my dad by myself because I haven’t seen him for 2 years and I never got to spend time with him alone. Then, I woke up and started crying.
I had a dream I was in high school but it was a bigger school. I walk in heels pass my sister friend and other girls. Then I was the joker shooting people at the school. I shot my sister friend and girl she was with at the school. They on The ground dying. I left the school before the police came. Then I was at a puppet movie theater. I stole bullets they had a lock cabinet. I watched the puppet show then left. I wore black leather jacket. I hid all the guns had in a black bag. All the gun in my big jacket.I was the joker had alot guns on me. My brother put riftle away on the floor. We got in my dad’s truck. There was police in another house in the neighborhood. My dad took me to house were my three pets were alive again. Tuxeo cat, chocolate labadtor, white toy poodle. And there two other dogs and one cat. I feed all the animals. My dad and brother left. The fat actor in war dogs was my roommate. I left the room to go feed my tuxeo cat he was hungry again. That’s end of the dream.
I saw a weird dream in which I shot my father with an smg making crucifix pattern of bullets shot on his body (Though I’m not a Christian). The strangest part of the dream was my mother got sexually attracted to me and I feel so disgusted to describe that we got married after I killed my father. It is the most weird dream I saw. But surprisingly when I try to remember, the person I was calling as my dad didn’t resemble a bit as my father in reality. But my mother was the same.
i would sometimes dream of cannibalising a fake family member , i would make a member up in very specific detail , i would sit around the kitchen counter with a few strangers who in the dream are my friends, we’d sit and discuss all the things kaytie(the fake member) did and laugh about it. in the dream i would not mind chewing on human limbs . id also have dreams of my father being homophobic towards me and my gf , (im bisexual) and id attack him rip his throat out then either leave him to choke and drown in his own blood or torture him until he dies from the ripped open throat. my gf would usually run away , id chase her kill her and dump my dads body and her body in a pool of specific chemicles and dump the dissolved slushy skinn/organs etc. down a community drain where it gets dumped into the ocean(the duped into the ocean part is the only part i feel bad about) and during all of this id have the teeth of a wolf a bushy red tail. id then go out and doing the same but only to homophobics and rapists, and id advertise it to lots of people but no one believes me , and id end up running the globe ,id feel stronger from theses types of dreams and i feel like i can conquer the world after i wake up… please tell me what this means
I would usually enjoy watching mysteries and reading the bible to discover my religion again, but the dream i had was not only scary but sad as well. I had a 2hr dream that it was my birthday and my best friend ,Jasmin, was gonna hang out with me. After a few photoshoot, I was sent to go home. Me, my mom and her friend were planning on what to do on my birthday. Few of my friends came in to play with me outside of my apartments. Of course, i was interested in planning my birthday with my mom and her friend. Later, Jasmin walked in the scene and told me how she noticed the “photographer” were keeping pics of me with my skin showing when i was having a photoshoot. I was pretty confused, and then “bang!…bang!” We all heard 2 gun shots from a far. Me, my mom, her friend, and her little dirty son were already hiding behind the bushes. Jasmin and my friends decided to keep having fun, dancing and doing Tik Toks. I asked my mom’s friend, “hey, do u want to go inside?” And before she could say anything, a man with a blue hoodie and a backpack came in..walking really slowly and tired..he turned to our streets and I had my hand covering the little dirty son of my mom’s friend. When the man stopped in front of my bush, he pulled out a gun and shot my friends. I dont even know this guy, neither do i recognize him!! While he was shooting, the dirty little son tried to make some noises to play a beat with the gun shots. I tried hard to cover his mouth until i looked down and saw my smiling plushie with a voice box. I was confused on what was going on. I tried to sleep more but my eyes just opened to take me back from my nightmare. In addition to my dream, my mom and her friend are Christians. Now, I felt bad for my friends not being able to have their best times for my birthday.
Dear Surayma,
I am sorry to inform you that I currently don’t help out here, as I am focusing fully on a major project (completion of my next book). You can try asking this one major question with regards to the dream; how might this dream in any way be relevant for my waking life? I can offer to help you in a private session with payment, please see more here. Best regards – Michael
I had a dream where my dad was running away from the law and I followed him. He told me to go back because my grandma needed me. I told him she’d be fine. So he finally let me come with him. He eventually got stopped by the cops and he was talking to them. but I didn’t want my dad to get put in jail for whatever he did, so while I was talking to a few cops, I grabbed their gun and shot them. I went back to talk to my dad who was currently talking to a cop, and gave him a nod. He then ran, and so did I. Our plan was to run away to Ireland(were Irish and that is the place we all want to go one day)We got to a location with a bunch of boats. My dad had somehow gotten my grandma there with us so she could come and we could take care of her. It was like a night beach-boat party outside. We got on a boat and we eventually got on the water to get away. I didn’t tell my dad I shot the cops until we got on the boat.
Hi Kylie – what an interesting dream! Of course quite hard for me to comment on since I know nothing about your life situation, your relation with your dad / grandma, their personality/characteristics etc – all of it important information when trying to decipher a dream. From an inner perspective (seing the dream as representing something inside yourself) the dream might be about an inner struggle that you are currently having – e.g. about going against “inner authorities” – i.e. for instance and inner police telling you what is right or wrong to do in life. Maybe you are currently fighting hard to life your own life free of external representations. You could ask – what does your father represent to you? The cops are trying to get him – so maybe you are trying to be more like your dad (again – what are your assocations to him) – or maybe (an outer interpretation of the dream) – you are actually trying to help your dad somehow in real life. Best regards – Michael
I had a dream about shooting that I was not part of, I was observing and I didn’t know any of the people in the dream like I don’t recognize them from real life. I dreamt that a young boy shot his father and his new girlfriend, then the mother horrified shot herself and then the son shot himself too. Very gruesome and not a nice dream. I can’t find how it relates to my waking life, none of my parents are seeing anyone for example and I am not a boy but a girl and I can’t figure out who the people are meant to represent. I felt really bad after waking up from this dream and had trouble falling back asleep after it.
I dreamt that my maternal uncle is killing all other family members. He is also trying to kill me. But, I hid myself in a balcony..and trying to get help from people in the neighbourhood. Eventually he finds me, tries to kill me..but somehow I save myself..hug him tight..making him realize what he did..he collapes..crying on my shoulder..I wake up shouting..
I had a dream I was in my room and I seen someone that look exactly like me and i had to try convince someone else that I was me and that other person was pretending to be me in disgues and I after a while that person that was pretending to be me took there mask of and I couldnt really remember there face and then they seemed really angry at me for some reason and tried to kill me but I ran away.
I had a dream last night where I killed several kids and put them in these jars.. I apparently tried to kill my step brother and my dad was on the way home so my step mom was going to help me hide the bodies of burn them.. I don’t remember the entire dream but there was also something about the police showing up at our house and almost getting found out about the kids.. I don’t think I could ever forget it..
Hello – I have a recurring dream that as a young girl (say 8 or 9 years old) me and another girl kill a third girl from our school. We bury her in my backyard where she stays for years. The dream is really only from me as an adult feeling so guilty about this body that’s been in my back yard for 20 odd years and that the police start looking for her and they go to dig her up. In the dream I’m filled with dread because for 20 years they never found the body but they are about to and therefore I’m about to be caught. I have so much guilt and remorse in this dream and it feels so real like I really did this and it’s happening.
I have dreams each night were I myself would kill someone, in every way I could possibly think of and when I wake up I don’t regret the dreams I just think about it all day and it doesn’t bother me. I makes me feel stronger in all honesty and I have planned how I would kill everyone I know. Even my own boyfriend and best friend and even when I think about that it still makes me feel powerful. I haven’t told anyone but two people, my best friend and my boyfriend. My best friend thinks I am insane and so does my boyfriend but he won’t tell it to my face and it makes me feel like people are scared of me and they are. I don’t know how to focus on anything else then this and it’s all I ever think about whenever I do anything or say anything. And all I’m scared of is what my mom will say.
I can’t find my dream whats the meaning of my dream, i woke up at 3.45am and feel scared,
Dreaming about a gunman who come to our town and and trying to take over, with his language that we all don’t understand, and at the same time, myself and my sister and father trying to leave our place, but when we open door thiers two old couples we dont even know them, but i ask my sister to help them out use wheelchairs i said to my sister bring them to the road so they can escape safely, and i will look after our father, then she leave with those oldies and the gun man started firing up and shot my father in the chest and shoulder, i was scared i keep shouting to laydown on the ground so that he won’t get the bullets, i was not even crying seing my dad in that situation but i am shivering to fear, so i call my sister and told her dad is being shot, if you have drop those oldies safely come back here as i couldn’t carry dad and i need the wheelchair, while talking gunman fire up again to the house of my uncle, i didn’t see anyone being shot, but the funny thing is i am in our village in my dream but the place i am saying to my sister os different and on top of that gun man firing but seems people around are standing there looks like listening to his speed to the language we all don’t understand, and there a man coming to me telling me, who the hell he is and talking nonsense how are we supposed to understand? That’d exactly he told me but i never response as i couldn’t get rid my eye sights on my dying dad, all i want to do is to get out of the place wherr seems other people sont border😔 i am confused and scared at the same time.
Please explain.
Thank you
Miss E
I dreamt that my 3 year old presumably had some kind of sickness (or at least that’s what my wife told me in the dream) and her idea was for us to kill him to ease his suffering. She decided the most humane way was to break his neck. She tried and couldn’t do it so I then tried. I tried to quickly snap it and it didnt work, so I then just tried to keep turning his head till it broke. It also didnt work. I remember being very sad that he was hurting worse now and injured worse from cracking his neck. I remember laying him in his bed and walking away. He showed again later and I cradled him in my arms and laid him back down and told him I loved him and to stay laying down. He showed up again a short time later crying with a little bit of blood coming from his mouth and saying ” i just wish it was Christmas again”. At that point I woke up crying. I am in mental hell right now. I cant get the memory of him crying and saying that about Christmas out of my head
I have a Long A.D.H.D. Filled violent past. I am harrowed by choices I’ve made. Very evil things I have gotten away with. I have dreams hat I have carried with me for Years and years never told even the only one friend I did have. I am 36. I’ve carried a reoccurring dream since I was 8..9?? I had no idea what I had at the time of the first dream. I’ve hinted with my Mother of bad dreams she told me when I was 2 and 3.. I would wake up about 5 of 7 nights screaming till I’d defecate, burst capillaries in BOTH eyes, or completely Passout for screaming. I have a daughter now. 22 years of having a relative dream repetitively.. and for the first time I’ve seen what I have used to kill people in my dreams. I feel like a Timeloop murder. I’ve tried to open up of.. Less disturbing dreams, and ended up being a 14 year old strapped to a bed and observed from a 2 way window. My mother died a year ago. My ONLY 3 friends throught Life have ALL died very very strange deaths. I have felt that all I do is Steal kill and destroy. I’ve noone to talk to who wouldn’t turn me into another facility. I’ve attempted to kill myself 15 times in 20 years. 4 times were successful, but someone who was under 18 cant sign as D.N.R. .I feel my daughter is starting to suffer due to all this. I doubt I will ever find this site to check back what could be said.. if you can make Headsor Tails of this, an email could be helpful.
I recently have a dream of being sandwiched into a gang war against a very powerful person. First, they are using samurai to kill people. I have someone with me that time, an unknown male kid, and my niece. I am trying my best to not let them see the situation, but the unknown kid escaped from my hand. Suddenly, the “very powerful person” demands the public who were watching to run or he’ll shoot us. I tried to search for the unknown kid, but I also have to protect my niece, so I hid my niece first and then witness the unknown kid being shut by the very powerful person. Next to him were dozen of protestors being shut at the same time. My niece and I managed to escape the area, only to find another gang shoots other people, but the they spare us and made convinced us that we will not tell anyone that the shooting happened.
This really disturbs me, and I really felt bad for the unknown kid. Can you help me what may be this dream about? Thank you!
Hello. My dream is about my father is killing other people. I don’t what’s mean 😭??
I had a dream that I killed a child but it was a “bad child” that I’m my dreams made me feel like he was terrible and that he even murder someone. In my dream I had to kill him but he said some words to me that shocked me. He said “ I promise I’ll be better, I’ll be good” and when he said that it’s when in my mind (dreaming) I thought that he was lying and was not going to change so I stabbed him violently and cut his head off and I watched him bleed out while he stopped moving and eventually died. What does this mean? It’s really freaking me out.