Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll reflects one year after horrific Wieambilla shooting
Queensland’s police commissioner has detailed the moment she first heard about a shocking police shooting incident, describing it as one of the “worst days”.
Queensland’s Police Commissioner has detailed the fated phone call she received on one of her “worst days” on the job, one-year on from the fatal shooting of two police officers in the line of duty.
Constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold had been murdered by members of the Train family on December 12 last year after attending the Wains Rd property for a missing person’s check.
Neighbour Alan Dare was also shot and killed during the siege at the Wieambilla property.
Stacey, Gareth and Nathaniel Train were shot dead by police later in the night during the siege.
Appearing on Tuesday night’s episode of A Current Affair, Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll remembered the day as “one of the worst days that I will recall in [police] history.”
She went on to describe the moment she was first notified of the incident over the police radio, waiting on a phone call to confirm what had taken place.
“You sit there and wait and wait for the next phone call, pray to God that everyone is going to be okay,” she said.
“Even though that phone call may take another 10 or 15 minutes to get you, it feels, it certainly did feel like a lifetime. Sadly, when eventually you find out that two of your offices have passed away, and how it happened was certainly one of the most tragic events in our history.”
Meanwhile, the children of a couple responsible for the religiously-motivated terror attack have apologised for their parent’s actions.
“We are truly sorry for the suffering our parents have caused and the impact their actions continue to have,” the children of Gareth and Stacey Train said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
Aidan and Madelyn Train lost both of their parents and uncle during the shocking attack on Queensland police officers at their Wieambilla property.
They were all shot and killed after murdering the two officers and a neighbour.
“In the evening of that day, my sister and I lost the family that raised us,” the statement said.
“This was the only family we had in our childhoods, due to estrangement from our extended family.”
“We are not aligned with the religiously extreme beliefs held by our parents. Similarly we do not share the same view in regards to the police.”
The statement shared on their behalf by police acknowledges the involvement of their father and uncle Nathaniel but not their mother.
The shooting is regarded as one of the worst acts of violence against police in modern Australian history and has led to the implementation of a national firearms register to track criminal and family violence records and gun details.
Kerry Dare, Mr Dare’s widow, revealed her heartbreak at losing the love of her life, including the small acts she and her husband used to share with each other.
She said it was hard to “keep the middle” for her late husband when he was not around.
Other smaller things – such as 27 years of a pinch and a punch for the first day of the month – were now sorely missed.
“It used to be so easy to do stuff, he was proud of what I did,” Ms Dare said.
“Now it’s just me.
“He was my rock … we tried to make each other’s lives as easy as possible.
Ms Dare said she had handled the loss with “more strength” she ever thought she had, having never lost a loved one before.
She tearfully recalled telling her husband during their marriage: “If you go, I don’t know what to do.”
“He replied with: ‘You’ll have to’,” Ms Dare said.
She said small things she and Alan would do together like washing up dishes now felt out of place.
“My life feels alien … I’m empty,” Ms Dare said.
To mark one year from the tragedy, Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll and dignitaries will attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the Queensland Police Service Memorial this afternoon.
A moment of silence will then follow.
For the first time in QPS history all communications centres across Queensland will respectfully convey the same message at 4.40pm AEST.
Constable Arnold’s family have remembered their “beautiful son and brother” in a touching tribute.
In their statement, issued by the Queensland Police Service, the Arnold family said December 12, 2022 was a day they would never forget.
“Matt had no chance of survival on that day, and this makes his death so unfathomable,” the family said.
“It is so cruel and unfair that we never got to say goodbye.
“We miss Matt’s laugh, kindness, empathy and willingness to help.
“These traits were what made him such an excellent police officer and made him love his job.”
The Arnold family remembered Constable Arnold for his pranks, ability to be “first to the pub”, his sarcasm, cheeky looks and “well-known bear hugs” and “burrito rolling skills”.
They lamented he would no longer be able to attend shared triplet birthdays with his siblings, family holidays and occasions or share in the family’s future.
“Most of all, we miss the sound of his truck arriving in the driveway and him announcing he was home,” the family said.
“He was a bigger-than-life character, which has left a bigger than life hole in our hearts.”
The murders of constables McCrow and Arnold, and Mr Dare, prompted an outpouring of grief across the nation.
The incident occurred as police were investigating a missing person’s report concerning Nathaniel Train, a former NSW school principal.
Nathaniel, who was married to Stacey before she married his brother Gareth, had been reported missing for months.
Both officers were laid to rest in a ceremony at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre on December 21 that same year, attended by a wide range of political delegates and senior police staff.
Mr Dare’s family and friends paid tribute at their own farewell on December 23 that same year.
“We will forever stand with the McCrow family in the pain they feel with losing Rachel,” the Arnold family said in their statement.
“We thank both of Matt and Rachel’s friends and colleagues who have shared stories about their friendship, work shenanigans and fierce board game battles.
“We also remember Alan Dare on this day.
“To the evacuation team and Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) officers who attended on that day, we thank you for your bravery and for allowing Matt to be returned to us.”
The family said they were sorry for what the friends of Constable Arnold and Constable McCrow had to endure on that day and their names were “etched into our brains forever”.
“You are now family,” the Arnold family said.
“We wish we could count down the days until we see Matty again, instead we will live our lives as he would want, making him proud and ensuring no one forgets him and his sacrifice.
“The tears still flow freely and will forever sting, but we can’t wait to share stories with him over a drink and some country music again one day.
“With honour he served.”
In a Facebook post, Callide MP Bryson head said the sombre date marked one year since “an act of pure evil rocked our community to its core”.
“Together, we have moved forward and shown the world how great the communities on the Western Downs truly are,” he said on Tuesday.
“We grieved as one when Constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold and civilian Alan Dare were murdered in our backyard.”
Mr Head said the “whole state and nation watched on and felt our pain”.
“To every man and woman who is putting on the uniform today, and every day, our thoughts go out to you, and we thank you for your service,” he continued.
“Rachel, Matthew, and Alan, forever locals.
“With honour, they served.”
The touching tributes follow astonishing developments in the police investigation into the shooting that have rocked the country.
Last week, US conspiracy theorist Donald Day Jr was arrested in connection to the shooting, with police revealing he had communicated with Gareth and Stacey Train over YouTube in the lead-up to the massacre.
The Trains followed a Christian extremist belief system known as premillennialism – the belief Jesus Christ would return to Earth after a period of severe tribulation.
Mr Day is being held in US custody, charged with making two interstate threats, one to law enforcement officials in Arizona and another to the Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
QPS Assistant Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon revealed Mr Day had allegedly sent Stacey and Gareth Train multiple messages containing Christian end-of-days ideology between May 2021 and December 2022.
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