Police shoot three dead after two police murdered in execution-style shooting in Wieambilla, Queensland
Two young police officers were met with a ‘hail of gunfire’ as they entered a remote property, while an innocent neighbour was also killed.
Two young police officers who were murdered in an execution-style killing on Monday “didn’t stand a chance,” Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has said as she paid tribute to the fallen officers.
Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, both from Tara police station, were killed in an ambush on a remote property northwest of Brisbane which they were visiting to make inquiries about a missing NSW man.
A neighbour, who was also shot dead when police went to the property, was identified as Alan Dare, 58.
Three people, including missing NSW school principal Nathaniel Train, were shot dead by Special Forces police after the ambush, bringing the total of dead to six.
The police officers had gone to the property in Wieambilla, south of Chinchilla on a missing person’s inquiry instigated in NSW.
Commissioner Carroll said the two young constables were highly respected police officers who had a “passion for policing and for serving their community”.
Ms Carroll, speaking at a press conference in Chinchilla, held back tears as she spoke about the “unimaginable tragedy” adding that the two police officers “did not stand a chance”.
“Both under 30 years of age. Both had wonderful careers and lives ahead of them,” she said.
“Yesterday, as they did every day, they put their lives on the line to serve their community. In this awful incident, they made the ultimate sacrifice. Sadly, both Matthew and Rachel had only recently commenced their policing careers.”
Constable Arnold was sworn in as a police officer in March 2020, while Constable McCrow was sworn in last year in June 2021. They both worked out of Tara Police Station.
“I will be visiting their families in the very near future. Tara is a small station within a very tight knit community,” Ms Carroll said.
“Unfortunately, this incident is a tragic reminder of the unpredictable nature of policing. Every day, our officers face very real dangers while protecting their communities. I know the days and weeks ahead will be extremely difficult for us as a police family. To all our officers and their loved ones, please look out for each other.
“I would like to thank the local community, here, as well as everyone across Queensland and Australia for their support. I know we are all thinking of the victims’ families who are grieving at this difficult time. With honour, they served.”
Queensland Police Union President Ian Leavers described the chaotic scene that played out on the property as “something out of the movies”.
“They had no idea that when they jumped the fence that their lives would come to an end. What I do know is as soon as they jumped the fence, they were met with a hail of gunfire and they immediately fell to the ground,” Mr Leavers said.
Ms Carroll said Mr Dare, who lives next door to the property with his wife, “did not stand a chance” either as he was gunned down in cold blood. The 58-year-old went to investigate the commotion after he heard gunshots.
“(Mr Dare) was doing what was right to investigate and help someone,” Queensland Union President Ian Leavers said.
Missing NSW teacher shot by police
The NSW Department of Education confirmed on Tuesday that missing primary school principal Nathaniel Train had been shot dead by police.
Queensland police had visited the property to make inquiries about the mising teacher.
Mr Train and his brother Gareth, who, with his wife Stacey, owned the property where the shooting occurred, were shot dead by police.
The former principal, who went missing in December 2021, had not worked at Walgett Community College Primary School since August 2021. His employment was officially terminated in March this year.
In a statement, a Department of Education spokesperson said. “One of the deceased was a former NSW Education employee who had not been working at a NSW school since August 2021. He officially left our employment in March this year.”
“Extra counselling will be provided at the impacted school today and for as long as staff and students require support,” they continued.
“As this is the subject of a police investigation we will not provide further comment.”
Police have not confirm the names of the three people shot by Special Forces.
Mr Train was the Executive Principal of Walgett Community College Primary School in NSW when he went missing in December, last year.
He had previously taught at a Queensland school.
Mr Leavers confirmed the police officers were investigating a missing person report.
“It was as simple as that. It’s just completely bizarre and it doesn’t make sense,” he said.
“What I do know then is these ruthless murderous people then went and executed the two police who were on the ground. They were executed in cold blood.”
He added that one of the alleged gunmen was a registered firearms owner, who is understood to have owned a high-powered shotgun.
Mr Leavers said he was stunned there was not an even greater loss of life.
“The two other police officers how they survived I will never know. They’re still both in hospital. I hope they are released today. We we could have had four murdered police officers but we have two and we’re all hurting, right across the country,” he said.
Surviving cop ‘sent frantic texts’
The two police officers who survive Monday’s ambush are Keeley Brough, 28 and Randell Kirk, 27.
Constable Brough fled into surrounding scrub and narrowly escaped with her life despite the gunmen lighting a bushfire in a bid to flush her out. As she hid, Ms Brough sent frantic text messages to loved ones as she prepared for the worst.
She was eventually rescued by a 16-strong extraction team of police who also recovered the bodies of the two murdered officers.
“The female, she took cover in long grass, and these people showed no compassion in any way, shape or form,” said Mr Leavers. “They actually lit the grass on fire to try and have her stand up, so they could shoot her dead. And she did not know whether she was going to be shot or she would be burnt alive.
“I do know she was sending messages to loved ones saying she almost thought it was her time. What was going through her mind, one cannot comprehend.”
A bullet is understood to have grazed Mr Kirk’s leg before he managed to escape and raise the alarm, The Australian understands. He is now recovering in hospital.
In a local newspaper interview after he moved to Chinchilla in December 2020, Constable Kirk said he was excited and keen to support the Chinchilla community any way he can.
“It’s a great country town, the people here are welcoming, approachable, and friendly – it’s great,” he said.
Ms Carroll also paid tribute to the two injured constables.
“They bravely did what they could to save their colleagues in the most horrendous circumstance. Their bravery was beyond belief,” she said.
“I will shortly meet with Keeley ... and the people that I have spoken to cannot believe how she survived and what she did during that period of time.”
The police commissioner confirmed that a total of 16 police officers went in to retrieve the bodies of their fallen colleagues.
However, she could not confirm whether reports the gunmen continued to shoot the officers after they had died were true.
“I cannot go into any detail ... as I said before, the scene is unimaginable and distressing. And in my view, those officers did not stand a chance. And I don’t know how two got out alive,” she said.
Authorities could not yet rule out the possibility that the gunmen called the police to the property, Ms Carroll said. However, she added that the officers were directed by NSW Police to make inquiries about the missing principal after his loved ones lost contact with him in recent days.
An ethical standards investigation is underway into the police response with oversight from the Crime and Corruption Commission.
Fatal ambush
Police reinforcements and ambulances converged on the chaotic scene on Wains Rd at Wieambilla, near Chinchilla, after the contingent of uniformed officers was attacked without warning.
It is believed at least two shooters opened fire on the unsuspecting police as they walked up the driveway of the property about 4pm as part of a missing-person inquiry instigated by NSW police.
Horrifyingly, as they lay wounded, Constables Arnold and McCrow were seen to be approached by the gunmen clad in military-style camouflage fatigues, and shot execution-style where they lay.
A police source said: “Two people were spotted in camo and they opened fire when the police approached the house. Two of the officers were hit and went to ground. A witness reported seeing two people in camouflage stand over them and shoot them again. They then took their pistols.”
Police helicopter fired on
Three ambulance crews and a police helicopter round out the resources scrambled in response to the widening emergency that gripped the sleepy locale 290km northwest of Brisbane.
There were reports that the gunmen, armed with shotguns and rifles, had opened up on the police helicopter.
An exclusion zone was set up at 6.10pm under a public emergency declaration.
People in the area between Chinchilla Tara Rd, Bennetts School Rd and Mary St had been told to stay indoors.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke of his personal shock on learning of the “barbaric” attack, telling ABC Radio Brisbane, every police officer in Australia and their family would be devastated and affected personally by the “horrific” tragedy.
“My heart particularly goes out to the families and friends of the police officers, and also this innocent victim as well, this neighbour, who was murdered in this atrocity,” Mr Albanese said.
“This barbaric action is something that has just shocked everyone. I was certainly shocked when I received the call last night.”
Mr Albanese said he had spoken with Nationals Leader David Littleproud, who represents the people of Wieambilla in his electorate of Maranoa.
Facebook fund launched
The union launched a fund on Tuesday, according to Mr Leavers, to assist the families of the deceased police officers.
“We’re all doing it pretty tough. This is one of those things you hope that never happens,” he said.
“We at the police union are certainly going to support the families and we’ll work with the police service to do that. It’s the entire blue family that will come together.
“But just send a message to a police officer, go to your local police station, say g’day. It actually means a fair bit. It may be a very small gesture, but to the police on the front line when you get a positive comment, it means so much.”
‘Terrible scenes’
Chinchilla mayor Paul McVeigh said the council had offered assistance to the Queensland Police Service following the incident.
Locals described the area as “blockie territory”, a preserve of tree changers and alternative lifestyle seekers lured there by cheap land. Marijuana growing and drug dealing was on the rise, they said.
Terrible scenes in Wieambilla and a heartbreaking day for the families and friends of the Queensland Police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. My condolences to all who are grieving tonight – Australia mourns with you.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) December 12, 2022
Federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton also expressed his condolences on social media.
“Deeply distressing news coming out of western Queensland tonight with those police who have been murdered,” he tweeted.
“Police officers face danger every day to keep us from it.”
Deeply distressing news coming out of western Queensland tonight with those police officers who have been murdered. Police officers face danger every day to keep us from it.
— Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton_MP) December 12, 2022
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk tweeted that her deepest respects to the officers’ families and “to the Queensland Police Service family as a whole”.
“Our police risk their lives every day to keep us safe. I know Queensland joins with me in expressing our shock and sadness,” Ms Palaszczuk tweeted.
I extend my deepest respects to their families and to the Queensland Police Service family as a whole.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) December 12, 2022
Our police risk their lives every day to keep us safe.
I know Queensland joins with me in expressing our shock and sadness.
Story Bridge to light up in tribute
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Story Bridge and government buildings will be lit up in blue and white to pay respect to the “young and beautiful” officers who were tragically killed.
“Sometimes we take our police for granted. Sometimes we forget the risk that they take every single day, every single day of their life,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“I want to echo the thoughts of the Police Union president, Ian Leavers, that whenever you see a police officer in the next few days or weeks, offer them a kind word or a sign of respect.”
Ms Palaszczuk said NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet reached out to her and offered his condolences, as it was a request from the NSW Police that led to Queensland Police attending the Wieambilla property. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who served as a police officer in Queensland for nearly a decade, said the execution-style killings would “send a shiver down the spine” of any cop on duty today.
Mr Dutton said on Tuesday that many will be “scarred” by the scene they would have been confronted with at Wieambilla on Monday.
“The families, the loved ones, of those police officers who said goodbye for the last time yesterday, they will never ever recover from that. Of course, the police family is absolutely devastated. People will
be scarred from the experience,” he told The Today Show.
“It’s bad enough as a police officer going to a scene where you know there are firearms or there’s domestic violence or you’re walking into the scene which may be dangerous, but when you have a few police officers who are turning up to check an address, walking up the driveway and they’re gunned down in a cold-blooded style; that will send a shiver down the spine of any police officer attending any job today right around the country.
“It’s a time for our community, for our country, to come together around police and support them and always remember that they go into the line of fire and into that danger zone, so that we don’t have to.
“We should be very grateful for the work, the service and the sacrifice of these two officers yesterday, and spare a thought and a prayer today for all of those in the police family.”
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