Target on guns: Inquest costs met for cops’ families
The families of the two murdered officers will have union-funded lawyers to represent them at the inquest, as one family expresses concern about some actions of Queensland police.
The families of two young police officers murdered in the line of duty at Wieambilla in Queensland will have union-funded lawyers to represent them at the inquest into the terror attack, which is scheduled to be held early next year.
Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were killed on December 12 when they went to the remote Western Downs bush block to investigate a missing person’s report.
They were murdered, alongside good Samaritan neighbour Alan Dare, by a family of three extremist Christian conspiracy theorists who ambushed them with high-powered rifles.
The Australian understands the McCrow family has expressed concern about some of the actions of the Queensland Police Service and some officers relating to the incident.
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Inquest costs met for cops’ families
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The Queensland Police Union will fund legal counsel for the families of constables McCrow and Arnold, and the two other officers who were at the scene on the day and narrowly escaped with their lives – constables Randall Kirk and Keely Brough.
A second pre-inquest hearing will be held on Thursday.
Other police who were involved on the day, including local officers who raced to try to rescue their colleagues, and Special Emergency Response Team members involved in the final shootout with cop-killers Gareth, Stacey and Nathaniel Train, will also be represented by union-funded lawyers.
Two police inspectors, including southwest district inspector Wayne Rasmussen, will have legal counsel provided by the Queensland Police Commissioned Officers Union.
An investigation by the QPS’s Ethical Standards Command won’t be finished until next year, and has collected written statements from more than 152 witnesses, and 352 evidence exhibits, including ammunition, cartridges, projectiles, firearms, latent fingerprints, swabs, trace DNA, phones, cameras, computer equipment and knives.
Six years’ worth of the Trains’ phone data is being combed through, as well as their online activity to identify any possible overseas associates who influenced their extremist ideology.
The inquest will examine hours of police audio, and has obtained body-worn camera vision from the scene, as well as recorded calls by the police officers to triple-zero, and vision from police helicopters when specialist officers stormed the property late on December 12.
Coroner Terry Ryan will investigate whether there were any “red flags” known to authorities – or should have been known to authorities – before the Trains went on their rampage.
Mr Ryan will examine the information shared or not shared between NSW and Queensland police, the investigation into Nathaniel Train’s illegal entry into Queensland in December 2021 and his unlawful dumping of two guns, the adequacy of current firearm and ammunition regulations, and what guns and ammunition were used.
A Coroner’s Court spokesman said Nathaniel Train’s estranged wife, who reported him missing, Vanessa de Jager, had been given leave to appear. Aidan Train, the son of Stacey and Nathaniel and stepson to Gareth, has also been given leave to appear while his sister, Madelyn Train, has not sought leave to appear as a party.
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