Inquest to probe QPS response into reports of gunfire before Wieambilla massacre
An inquest will examine whether the Queensland Police Service adequately responded to reports of gunfire near a Wieambilla property before two police officers and a neighbour were gunned down by murderous conspiracy theorists.
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An inquest will examine whether the Queensland Police Service adequately responded to reports of gunfire in the vicinity of the Train property before the conspiracy theorists killed two police officers and their neighbour in the Wieambilla massacre.
Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, and Constable Rachel McCrow, 29, were shot dead by Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train when they walked onto the Trains’ property in the Western Downs on December 12, 2022.
Neighbour Alan Dare was also killed by the trio, who had armed themselves to stage a terrifying ambush.
The Trains were killed by the highly trained Special Emergency Response Team following a lengthy shootout.
Police have said Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey subscribed to Premillennialism and believed Christ would return to earth for a period of 1000 years after a period of widespread destruction.
The trio hated police and had constructed makeshift sniper hides and stashed ammunition around their rural property.
Police were told Nathaniel Train broke through a NSW-QLD border gate during Covid-19 restrictions and dumped loaded guns in flooded waters almost a year before the killings.
At the time of the massacre, Nathaniel was a missing person and police had made multiple attempts to find him at the Wieambilla property.
There was also a Queensland arrest warrant issued for him for discarding firearms at the state border.
Counsel assisting the coroner Ruth O’Gorman KC said the inquest would investigate whether anything was known to authorities that would have “indicated a risk” that the Trains would act the way they did.
“Including the QPS response to firearm-related calls to service and investigations in the vicinity of the Wains Rd property prior to December 12, 2022,” she said.
Whether guns and ammunition used by the Trains were legally obtained will also form part of hearings into the shootings.
The inquest also heard that certain footage in the brief of evidence would be held so closely that even legal representatives would not be provided a copy and could only view it by making an appointment with the Coroners Court of Queensland.
Included in that was footage of the deaths of the two police officers recorded by their own body worn cameras.
“Certain material in the report provided to the Coroners Court was held back from the parties and it is intended that this material will … only be able to be viewed by the parties by appointment at the Coroners Court,” Ms O’Gorman said.
“That material can largely be described as material which includes body worn camera footage and Polair footage of a graphic nature relating to the deaths that are the subject to these proceedings.”
State Coroner Terry Ryan was asked to consider keeping secret some information relating to the Bearcat armoured vehicle used by SERT officers when dealing with armed offenders, as well as body armour worn by officers.
The hearing heard the Bearcat had sustained damage to its windscreen in the shootout and that the coroner should examine whether the safety of the officers inside had been put at risk.
Patrick McCafferty KC, representing 32 police officers, said he took issue with any attempt to “conceal or keep secret” information from the coroner that related to officer safety.
The coroner is yet to rule on what information will be made public.
The inquest will also examine the circumstances around Nathaniel Train illegally entering Queensland via Talwood in December, 2021 and the adequacy of the subsequent police investigation.
Ms O’Gorman said the inquest would also examine the issuing of a missing persons report in relation to Nathaniel Train by the NSW Police Force in November and December 2022, including whether its police officers acted in accordance with relevant policy and procedures.
Information communicated by the NSW Police Force to the Queensland Police Service in the lead up to the shooting will also be examined as well the decisions made by Tara and Chinchilla police stations to send the four officers on the day of the shooting.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb will be represented at the inquest by barrister Lachlan Gyles.
The inquest is scheduled to begin on July 29.
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