Wieambilla shooting: Constable Rachel McCrow begged for life before being killed
Details of police communications during the Wieambilla massacre have been detailed at the start of a marathon inquest into the tragedy.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Murdered police officer Rachel McCrow had been shot three times – once in the shoulder and twice in the leg – when, unable to use her police radio, she recorded valuable information on her body-worn camera for investigators to find later.
The incredible bravery of the young police officer and her colleagues has been praised during the opening day of the marathon inquest into the Wieambilla massacre.
The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding the murders of constables McCrow, 29, and Matthew Arnold, 26, and good Samaritan Alan Dare, 58, at the hands of conspiracy theorists and religious extremists Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train.
The Trains were killed after an hours-long standoff with highly trained SERT officers.
In a harrowing opening address, counsel assisting the coroner Ruth O’Gorman KC detailed how Constable McCrow recorded a message of love to her family, knowing she was about to die; how Constable Keely Brough hid in the bushes while a fire burned to her feet; and how Constable Randall Kirk calmly reported the deaths of his colleagues before saying “he’s coming over – should I run?”.
The inquest heard that four young police officers – two from Tara station and two from Chinchilla – were tasked to visit a remote property on Wains Rd, Wieambilla, on December 12, 2022, to conduct a missing persons inquiry.
It was decided that two crews would be sent to make inquiries about Nathaniel Train, a school principal reported missing in NSW, because of an outstanding warrant relating to the disposal of firearms.
Police believed Nathaniel might be at the property because it was the home of his brother Gareth and his wife Stacey. Stacey had previously been married to Nathaniel and the pair had two children together.
The inquest heard the trio had a hatred of police and had set up the rural property with dummy cameras and sniper hides. They had an arsenal of weapons, camouflage clothing and even a ghillie suit.
Mirrors had been placed along the long driveway and a sign on the front gate warned “no entry, authorised personnel only”.
Ms O’Gorman said the four officers arrived at the property shortly after 4.30pm, jumped the front gate and began walking down the long dirt drive towards the house.
Less than two minutes later, a shot was fired from one of several sniper hides. That shot struck Constable Arnold in the chest, killing him.
The court heard the three officers ran for cover, with Constable McCrow making it only a matter of metres before she too was shot, first in the shoulder and then in the lower right leg and upper left leg.
“Unable to call out on her radio, Constable McCrow nonetheless reported the harrowing events that she had lived through,” Ms O’Gorman said. “In an exercise known as a sit rep, or situational report, she also reported a message of love for her family.
“At around 4.40pm she recorded that she had been shot at three times. At around 4.45pm she recorded that the shooter was coming towards her. She discharged her police-issued Glock, firing off 15 shots.
“She pleaded with the male that approached her. After a brief verbal exchange, she was killed at close range.”
Ms O’Gorman said despite the terror Constable McCrow must have felt, she managed to record vital information on her body-worn camera.
“Despite being ambushed, in pain and no doubt terrified, Constable McCrow showed great courage under fire,” Ms O’Gorman said. “She had the presence of mind to record important details on her body-worn camera and she had the strength and grace to record a message for her family.”
The inquest was played haunting footage from Constable Kirk’s body-worn camera as he made a terrifying dash for safety while being shot at by the Train brothers.
After Constable Arnold was killed, Constable Kirk managed to crouch behind a tree, where he attempted to call for help on his radio.
The inquest heard none of the officers’ police radios had reception at the remote property, so they were forced to use their mobile phones.
Constable Kirk called his supervisor, Acting Sergeant Justin Drier, and calmly reported the shooting and asked for back-up.
Ms O’Gorman said the brothers were looking for Constable Kirk, who had fired his Glock after Constable McCrow had emptied her pistol at an approaching Gareth Train.
“That was a mistake boys,” one of the Train brothers could be heard shouting on Constable McCrow’s body-worn camera.
“Come out, come out and get on the f--king ground or you die.”
”He shot Rachel I believe,” Constable Kirk said when the footage from his camera was played to the court.
“I think she’s dead. She shot him I think. He’s still walking.”
He then clarified: “She shot at him.”
Constable Kirk then told his sergeant: “They’ve got Matthew now. F--k sake.”
”Matt’s not moving. Rachel’s not moving now. Keely, I haven’t seen. What do you want me to do?”
Sergeant Drier responded: “Look after yourself, buddy.”
“He’s coming over,” Constable Kirk said.
“Should I run?”
Sergeant Drier asked: “Do they know where you are?”
Constable Kirk responded: “Yes they do.”
The sergeant asked whether Constable Kirk could run from tree to tree, with the young officer responding: “I can try.”
The frightening footage showed the young officer, gun in hand, running through the trees to the police car.
“They’re coming – they’re shooting,” he yelled as he ran.
The Train brothers fired their rifles as Constable Kirk started the car and drove away. One bullet struck him in the hip as he began driving.
“I think I’ve been shot. Oh f--k I think I’ve been shot. I can’t … I don’t know … they’ve got multiple shots to the window of the car,” he yelled into the phone.
“I had to drive away a bit. (I’ve) lost a shoe. I’ve got blood on my face. I don’t know where I’ve been shot.”
Soon after, neighbours Alan Dare and Victor Lewis arrived at the Trains’ front gates having spotted smoke coming from the property.
Footage from Mr Dare’s mobile phone shows their shock as they realise it is a police car burning by their neighbours’ front drive. Mr Dare captured his own murder as he was shot in the chest while holding his mobile phone.
Constable Brough would spend another two hours hiding in grass eight inches high while the Trains hunted her.
The inquest heard fires were lit to flush her out, but she remained hiding even as the fire came up to her feet.
Ms O’Gorman said Constable Brough spent the entire time on the phone to a triple-0 operator, at times whispering updates while the killers closed in.
“She says, ‘I think they know I’m here – I’m scared’,” Ms O’Gorman told the court.
“She knew they were looking for her.”
Ms O’Gorman said Constable Brough described the gunmen as best she could, including that they wore camouflage and had rifles.
“She thought she was going to die,” she said.
“She said she could hear and smell fire. (It was) 15m away from her at one point … then 8m, then 5m, then 3m, 2m and one. She reported that she could feel the fire at her feet. Then the wind picked up and the fire was all around her. But she could not move because they were watching for her.”
Ms O’Gorman said after hiding for two hours, she was able to run to the property’s front gate where other police officers had arrived to guide her out.
Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train were all killed following a lengthy shootout with SERT officers.
The inquest heard 19 highly trained SERT officers and several in commander and intel roles, were on scene by that evening, bringing with them the heavily armoured BearCat vehicle and three light armoured vehicles. Two police helicopters relayed information from above to those on the ground.
Police negotiators tried six different phone numbers in an attempt to arrange the trio’s surrender, but they were all switched off.
Messages relayed over loudspeakers were ignored or answered with gunfire, the inquest heard.
Ms O’Gorman said Gareth was killed after firing at an armoured vehicle.
He was shot in the head by SERT officers as he attempted to reload.
Stacey was shot soon after as she fired a rifle at police by the same SERT team that had killed her husband.
Nathaniel, who spent the lengthy siege behind a log barricade outside the house, was killed last as he fired rounds at the BearCat from Constable Arnold’s Glock.
More Coverage
Hit and run: Police hunt driver in Pimpama e-scooter crash
A teenager has been taken to hospital after they were knocked from their e-scooter on the Gold Coast in an alleged hit and run.
Highfields residents wake to find knife-wielding intruders in their home
Police are hunting multiple offenders after Highfields residents woke up to a terrifying incident where they were threatened with a knife, with a robbery following in Newtown.