Inside meticulous set-up of doomsday trio who fatally ambushed cops, neighbour
New photos released by a court have revealed fresh details about the meticulous set-up by a trio of doomsday shooters who fatally ambushed two cops and a neighbour.
Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold had no idea of the terror that lurked beyond this gate.
It was meant to be a simple welfare check for a missing person – in and out, joined by their fellow Chinchilla-based police constables Keely Brough and Randall Kirk, as part of their routine Tuesday afternoon shift.
But only 30 minutes into their shifts on December 12, 2022, Constable McCrow and Constable Arnold were murdered in cold blood.
Beyond the gate of 251 Wains Rd, Wieambilla, Nathaniel Train and his brother Gareth had been lying in wait for days.
Their property had been progressively transformed into a “stronghold” fitted out for a siege against police, with the brothers and Stacey Train – the ex-wife of Nathaniel who remarried Gareth – believing Christ’s return to earth was imminent.
A coronial inquest has been slowly dissecting the horrific massacre at the Wieambilla block that killed constables McCrow and Arnold, and the Trains’ neighbour Alan Dare.
He was shot while investigating fires lit by the family to flush out Constable Brough as she hid in grassland.
Along with horrifying bodycam footage belonging to officers involved and Polair vision of the Trains firing on responding tactical police, images previously not seen by the public were released by the Brisbane Coroners Court this week.
They include details of the meticulous set-up by the Trains as they lay in wait for their ambush.
Others capture the extent of their “off-grid” living arrangements and some bizarre items found in the wake of their deaths, like an iPhone with an expletive message and a fake security camera.
In aerial maps displayed to the court, the extent of the Trains’ planning for the siege was revealed after forensic investigators combed through the property.
Sniper hides had been set up in bushland along the track leading to the Trains’ home – virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding vegetation.
Evidence of their modifications was first detected in October that same year, with some footpad development of the surrounding bush visible from the air.
A distinctive “square-shaped” feature was also detected – indicating the area was being developed as an “observation point” that was being progressively camouflaged.
That same month, a “linear feature” over a curve in the track was found.
This would be the formative development of what police would call a “barricade” – consisting of only a few logs and metal to limit the manoeuvrability of approaching vehicles.
The strategic placing was enough to hinder the movement of a heavily armoured police BearCat, allowing the Trains to open fire as it tried to navigate the bend.
At the house, heavy logs had been dragged into place to allow Nathaniel and Gareth to fire on tactical police as they advanced on the property.
Mirrors had also been positioned around the driveway in an attempt to reflect and disorient the headlights from approaching vehicles.
In the aftermath of the siege – where Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey were all fatally shot – new aerial images showed the fires had been lit in an almost “horseshoe” shape.
The court was told this was, again, a strategic move – the heat and smoke was enough to slow down some of the police teams and made it difficult to rely on night-vision equipment.
Saws, kindling, crystals and The Godfather: Inside sniper’s stash
In a sniper hide about 185m from the main gate, Nathaniel had spent days in wait.
Forensic investigators knew he was there, as his fingerprints and DNA were found on some of the items taken from the small tent-like enclosure.
They included a hand-strengthening device, a hand weight, a saw, a 20-litre drum being used as a fireplace, a jar of crystals, a jar of kindling and a shortened chair.
Two books – one of them being The Godfather – were also found.
Senior Sergeant Kirsty Gleeson, the forensics co-ordinator for the Southern Region, said Nathaniel’s fingerprint was found on the jar of kindling.
DNA was found on the mouthpiece of a water bottle in the tent – a single source profile “with a likelihood ratio of greater than 100 billion” supportive of Nathaniel.
Four discharged cartridges matching a 30-06 Springfield calibre rifle were also found in the hide.
That same weapon – which had been fitted with a torch and scope – was found on Nathaniel’s body.
Sergeant Gleeson said her analysis determined the same rifle “may have discharged” projectiles from the first sniper hide – microscopic fragments that were recovered from the bodies of constables Arnold and McCrow.
She explained the evidence showed Nathaniel had used the rifle to inflict the fatal wound on Constable Arnold and injure Constable McCrow.
The court was told Gareth fatally shot Constable McCrow after she fired at him with her Glock pistol while recording a final message to her family on her bodyworn camera.
In her analysis of the Wains Rd property, Sergeant Gleeson noted it was designed for “off-grid” living with no main line power, water or sewerage connected to the house.
Instead, there were only solar panels attached to the roof of the laundry.
A security camera, plugged to a battery, was located up a nearby tree on the road leading to the house but it did not appear operational.
On the letterbox she found a black mug printed with the words “Have A Nice Day”.
Inside the mug was an iPhone with a smashed screen and an expletive word scrawled at the top.
Senior Sergeant Gleeson said it was not clear what it meant and no fingerprints were found on the phone.
The Trains relied on tank water and had non-perishable foods stashed in their home and an Esky found in one of their vehicles.
Toilet paper was stored in the pantry.
The home itself was sparsely furnished; they had a television, a makeshift Faraday box containing six mobile phones in the kitchen and little other major furnishings.
But there were a large number of books in the house, along with letters and notes found in the bedroom.
Asked about the living conditions, Sergeant Gleeson said: “I wouldn’t say they were very sophisticated.”
Last stand of murderous Train trio
Over five hours the Trains had wreaked havoc – killing three and putting the lives of dozens of other officers at risk.
In less than 10 minutes their own lives were cut short.
Highly trained special emergency response team (SERT) teams eventually closed in on the Wains Rd house after 9pm as Nathaniel and Gareth, positioned outside, continued to unload their guns.
Stacey only fired three shots at police the entire evening.
In audio released by the court, police can be heard negotiating in vain with the Trains.
Even with the BearCat’s loudspeaker blaring into the night, gunfire can be heard over the negotiator’s pleas for the trio to stop.
Senior Constable Will Goodwin’s voice begins: “Nathan, Stacey, Gareth – guys we need you to stop firing your weapons.
“This is the police. Guys, we need you to put your firearms down. Put your weapons on the ground,” he continues.
Gunshots fired by the Trains - some of which almost shattered the BeatCat’s windscreen - can be heard over the audio.
One of the other SERT groups, known as Team 3, who were travelling in a light armour vehicle also took fire.
A marksperson travelling with this team – known only as Operative 201 – said the bullets packed “quite a punch”.
“It was definitely something I haven’t ever experienced before,” Operative 201 said.
“The impact of the rounds when they were hitting the vehicle … the vehicle is quite a few tonne in weight.
“That effect was felt, to the point when they were hitting on the window and the windscreen, you could feel the percussion I suppose or the effect of the rounds hitting the glass.”
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The court was told all three of the Trains were killed within seven minutes.
Gareth was fatally shot first at 10.32pm, followed by Stacey at 10.36pm and Nathaniel at 10.39pm.
Operative 201 confirmed they fired a shot that injured Gareth, forcing him to reposition, and fatally shot Stacey as she shot at other SERT teams.