Wieambilla: FBI agents arrest 58-year-old man in Arizona in connection to police shooting

An unsealed indictment has revealed why a US man has been arrested in relation to the horror police shooting at Wieambilla.

• Haunting ‘end-of-days’ messages

FBI agents have arrested a man in the United States in connection to the Wieambilla police shooting alleging he incited violence and sent “Christian end of days ideology” to extremists before the tragedy.

Donald Day, 58, was arrested near Heber Overgaard, Arizona, after a joint Queensland Police Service and FBI investigation.

Agents allege he made “interstate threats” with one of two indictments relating to comments posted online in December 2022 inciting violence in connection with the killing of police officers at Wieambilla.

SCROLL DOWN FOR FULL DETAILS FROM THE INDICTMENT

Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, and Constable Rachel McCrow, 29, were shot dead by Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train when they walked on to the property in the Western Downs on December 12 last year.

Constable Randall Kirk and Constable Keely Brough escaped while neighbour Alan Dare was also killed.

They were looking for former school principal Nathaniel Train, reported missing in country NSW. There was also a Queensland arrest warrant issued for him for discarding firearms at the state border.

The Trains were killed after a stand-off with police.

A screenshot from the YouTube accountGeronimo's Bones.

A subsequent investigation found the police officers were killed in a “religiously motivated terrorist attack”, with the Trains preparing for the “end of days” and believing police were “monsters and demons”.

The Trains subscribed to Premillennialism, believing Christ would return to earth for a period of 1000 years after a period of widespread destruction.

The Trains property had camouflaged sniper hides where they lay in wait, trail cameras as well as “multiple erected barriers” including ones made from steel.

Queensland Police Service Assistant Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon on Wednesday said there “some similarities” with Day’s property and the one owned by the Trains but wouldn’t elaborate further.

After the shooting, the Trains posted a video online and appeared to be communicating with others.

In the video, Gareth says: “They came to kill us, and we killed them. If you don’t defend yourself against these devils and demons you’re a coward.

“We’ll see you when we get home,” Stacey said.

“We’ll see you at home Don,” Gareth said.

“Love you,” Stacey said.

Assistant Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon speaks during a media conference on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Police confirmed that was the same person arrested by authorities.

“It is in connection with the YouTube video … that’s the interaction that has emanated to cause this investigation,” Ms Scanlon said.

Ms Scanlon said Gareth Train began following Day on YouTube in May, 2020.

They then began commenting directly on each other’s videos in May 2021.

“We have evidence to show the Trains accessed an older YouTube account by the same man and watched his videos,” Ms Scanlon said.

Between May 2021 and December last year, Day repeatedly sent messages containing “Christian end of days ideology” to Gareth and then later Stacey, Ms Scanlon said.

After an almost year-long investigation, two indictments were issued by a grand jury at Tucson, Arizona, on November 29, for interstate threats.

Day was arrested at a remote property in northern Arizona on December 1 and appeared in court yesterday before he was remanded in custody.

Ms Scanlon said investigations by the FBI and QPS were continuing in Arizona, including the search of the property where Day was arrested.

“Evidence has been seized and is being analysed by the FBI,” Ms Scanlon said.

“This includes the identification of any further contact between the Trains and the man.”

The video of the Trains was posted by an account titled Mrs Yugi Girawil, which had about 10 videos posted online.

In some videos they refer to themselves as “Daniel” and “Jane”, which were the middle names of Gareth and Stacey Train.

Gareth and Stacey Train were killed in a shootout with police at their Wieambilla property

There was a comment posted as part of a conversation with an account called “Geronimo’s Bones” and the man behind the account claimed to know the pair well and that he had received communications from them shortly before their deaths.

“Before all communication ceased between Daniel and I, the last words that Jane spoke to my wife and I were, and I quote, `where there is a corpse, the vultures will gather’,” he said in a video posted to his account soon after the police officers were killed.

Ms Scanlon said there was no warrant for Day’s arrest in Queensland and no extradition order had been made.

But she said it was “early days” of the investigation, and didn’t rule out future action by Queensland Police.

Ms Scanlon said this arrest was crucial for the healing process of the families of the victims.

“Our thoroughness, and to give the extent of investigation that we have gone to is really important for families of victims.

“It’s important for the wider community to see that we don’t leave any stone unturned with these things. “This is a terribly tragic event with the loss of lives, we need to understand the why.”

DONALD DAY INDICTMENT

In an unsealed indictment, the FBI alleges Donald Day Jr was active on YouTube under the name Geronimo’s Bones and social media platform BitChute with username WEAREALLDEADASF**K.

The FBI said Day posted videos of himself speaking on YouTube and comments since at least January 2022 and on BitChute since June 2022.

The FBI said Gareth and Stacey and Day regularly commented on each other’s videos.

The two interstate threat charges relate to comments Day made in videos on December 16, 2022, and in February 2023.

The first count of interstate threats relates to comments he made soon after Gareth and Stacey posted their video online about them killing the police officers.

Day posted a comment to the video that said “truly, from my core, I so wish that I could be with you to do what I do best.”

“I hate it that I am unable able to,” he wrote.

“What can I do? I tell you, family, that those bastards will regret that they ever f***ed with us. Although I cannot be there under my own power and will, the comfort and assurance that I can offer, is that our enemies will become afraid of us. We are with you. We too, will never ever bow to the scum which plagues us. It is rare for me to ask our Father for anything. Yet as soon as I saw this comm, I did ask Him for something. Please, do what you must do, with determination in your hand and fury in your bellies. Again, tell me that I can help you. Anything that is within my range to do for you, I will not hesitate. We love you, we care for you. - Don and Annie.”

The Train property at Wieambilla on Queensland’s Western Downs. Picture: Liam Kidston

On December 16, Day posted a video on Youtube under Geronimo’s Bones, speaking about Gareth and Tracey killing “f***ing Devils”.

“Day then stated, “[w]ell, like my brother Daniel, like my sister Jane, it is no different for us,” the indictment said.

“The devils come for us, they f***ing die. It’s just that simple. We are free people, We are owned by no one.”.

“Day ended the video saying, “Daniel, Jane, if there’s any way possible that you are receiving this comm, I am so sorry that I’m not there to fight with you, that there’s no f***ing way for me to be there, and I’m reduced to asking my Father to protect you, to look out for you without any expectation, but if you’re already home, our heavenly home, hold a place for us because we’ll be joining you soon enough.

The FBI said Day uploaded another video the same day titled “brother sister martyr” to his YouTube channel.

Police attended the property in response to a missing persons report about Nathaniel Train.

“In the video, DAY said, “[o]ur brother Daniel and our sister Jane were harassed on a regular basis by authorities [Day displayed two middle fingers while saying the word ‘authorities’] in the province of Queensland to hand over his brother to them because his brother was on the verge of revealing the extensive corruption which affected children.”

“Day further stated that Individual 1 and Individual 2 (Gareth and Stacey) did ‘what they had to do’ because they would not submit ‘to a monster, to an unlawful entity, to a demonic entity’.”

“Day further stated, “Daniel and Jane did exactly what their Heavenly Father would have done in the same situation.”

The FBI said almost a minute later Day said: “This is me speaking into the ether, to bear witness before my heavily Father, with the witness of my wife that I am speaking the truth to this thing. And just so you know that that’s the only language that evil ever respects, responds to or understands, and that is the language of virtuous violence. When these people in this box tell you violence isn’t the answer ... then what is? Voting? Praying? Really? What has either of them achieved for you?”

Photographs of Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow displayed at the official police funeral. Picture: Steve Pohlner

The FBI alleges on December 16, 2022, Day “did knowingly transmit in interstate and foreign commerce a communication containing a threat to injure the person of another, that is any law enforcement official who comes to Day’s residence, with the intent to communicate a true threat of violence and with recklessness ... that is, Day, in a video posted on YouTube stated, “[w]ell, like my brother Daniel, like my sister Jane, it is no different for us. The devils come for us, they f***ing die. It’s just that simple. We are free people, We are owned by no one.”

The second counts of threats relates to a video showing the Director General of the World Health Organization Tedros Ghebreyesus speaking about the discovery of a new virus in Equatorial Guinea called Marburg, which he described as similar to Ebola with a high mortality rate.

“He stated that there were currently no approved vaccines for the Marburg virus and few were in development,” the indictment said.

Day had commented on the video.

Neighbour Alan Dare with his wife Kerry. Source: Facebook

“Beginning on or before January 2022 and continuing to on or after February 2 2023, Day engaged in a course of conduct demonstrating a desire to incite violence and threaten a variety of groups and individuals including law enforcement and government authorities.

“Day previously posted on BitChute a statement, “I’m an x-con, who’s armed to the teeth.” Day previously acknowledged on YouTube that he owned firearms, to include a rifle and a shotgun.”

The FBI said in February 2023 Day commented on a video posted on BitChute depicting the Director General of WHO while stating: “It is time to kill these monsters, and any who serve them. Where are my kind? Where are you? Am I the only one? F***in’ helll.”

Day pleaded not guilty when he appeared in court. His legal defence asked for his release however he was detained. A trial has been set for February 6 before District Judge John J. Tuchi, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said she was hopeful further charges would be laid against Day down the track.

“There’s a long way to go... certainly a lot more investigating needs to be done, but I am hopeful there will be more charges in the future,” Ms Carroll said.

Ms Carroll said Day’s alleged actions were “deplorable.”

“I have been kept abreast of parts of the investigation, and it’s a good thing.

“People need to be held to account for inciting that. That is deplorable behaviour, particularly what he was inciting people for, motivating against police, against authorities, which is completely unacceptable.”

The United States Attorney’s Office District of Arizona released a statement on Thursday saying it was handling the prosecution.

“Each count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release,” the statement said.

“An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt.

“The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, is handling the prosecution.”

Originally published as Wieambilla: FBI agents arrest 58-year-old man in Arizona in connection to police shooting