National

Coroner to start Wieambilla police shooting inquest

By AAP Newswire

Jul 29, 2024

A police officer holds a portrait of an officer who died. — Constable Rachel McCrow was one of two officers killed in the Wieambilla shooting. -AAP Image

A coronial inquest into a shooting that claimed six lives including two police officers in rural Queensland is due to start in Brisbane.

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Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were shot in cold blood by Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train after four officers arrived at the Wieambilla property in the Western Downs Region on December 12, 2022.

Neighbour Alan Dare was also shot dead before the Trains were killed in a gunfight with specialist police later that night.

State Coroner Terry Ryan is scheduled to hear an opening statement from counsel assisting on Monday morning before moving to police witnesses in the afternoon.

The Coroners Court has listed 23 issues and concerns to examine at the five-week inquest, including what information NSW Police provided concerning a missing persons report on Nathaniel Train that prompted Queensland officers to attend the property.

The inquest aims to deliver findings on circumstances at two police stations at the time initial decisions were made to send four officers to the Train property.

The inquest will also investigate Nathaniel Train's illegal entry to Queensland during the COVID-19 NSW border closure and the family's source of firearms and ammunition.

An American man by the name of Donald Day Jr is accused of repeatedly sending messages about a "Christian end-of-days ideology" known as premillennialism to the Trains Between May 2021 and December 2022.Â

Day pleaded not guilty in a US federal court in May 2024 to five charges related to making threats and illegal firearms possession.

Queensland Police unveiled a monument for Constables Arnold and McCrow in May 2024 in front of Dalby Police Station - where they started their careers - as a reminder of their sacrifice.