Families speak of ‘all-consuming grief’ as Wieambilla shooting inquest begins

Key Points Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were shot dead on a rural Queensland property in 2022.Wieambilla resident Alan Dare was also killed by Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train in the shooting.An inquest into their deaths began on Monday at Brisbane Coroners Court.

The families of two officers shot dead in Queensland have called for immediate law changes around firearms and police communications on the first day of a coronial inquest into their deaths.

after four officers arrived at the Wieambilla property in the Western Downs Region on 12 December 2022.

Judy McCrow, the mother of McCrow, spoke on behalf of her family and Arnold’s outside the Brisbane Coroners Court on Monday.

She was joined by McCrow’s sister Samantha, as well as Arnold’s father Terry, mother Sue, and sister Hayley.

“Today our thoughts extend to the wider police community, who are hurting, and we also remember Alan Dare … we don’t want the loss of Rachel and Matthew to be in vain,” Judy McCrow said.

Constables Rachel McCrow, 29 (left) and Matthew Arnold, 26 (right) were responding to a call for a missing person when they were killed. Source: Supplied / Queensland Police

before the Trains were killed in a gunfight with specialist police later that night at the rural property.

Judy McCrow said both families miss their children very much and no police officer should have to die in such horrible circumstances.

“There is no escaping our devastating loss, the all-consuming grief and the tears. Our collective heart remains broken beyond repair,” she added.

Judy McCrow called for immediate changes to police policies and procedures to reduce the likelihood of the loss of life in similar circumstances.

“We pose this question to authorities: could a national firearms and ammunition register, drones and satellite-based communication strategies reduce the current risk?” she said.

The court has listed 23 issues and concerns to examine at the five-week inquest, including what information NSW Police provided concerning a missing persons report on Nathaniel Train that prompted Queensland officers to attend the property.

The inquest aims to deliver findings on circumstances at two police stations at the time initial decisions were made to send four officers to the Train property.

The inquest will also investigate Nathaniel Train’s illegal entry to Queensland during the COVID-19 NSW border closure and the family’s source of firearms and ammunition.

American Donald Day Jr is accused of repeatedly sending messages about a “Christian end-of-days ideology” known as premillennialism to the Trains between May 2021 and December 2022.

Day pleaded not guilty in a US federal court in May 2024 to five charges related to making threats and illegal firearms possession.

Queensland Police unveiled a monument for Arnold and McCrow in May 2024 in front of Dalby Police Station — where they started their careers — as a reminder of their sacrifice.

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