Queensland Coroner Concludes Wieambilla Police Shootings Not Linked to Terrorism

Share and Follow

Three conspiracy theorists had shared delusions but did not carry out a terrorist act when they ambushed police in an attack that killed six people, a coroner says.

Almost three years after the Wieambilla shootings shocked the nation, Queensland state coroner Terry Ryan delivered his findings in Brisbane on Friday.

Brothers Nathaniel, 46, and Gareth Train, 47, used high-powered rifles to gun down constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, at a rural property west of Brisbane on 12 December 2022.

An inquest last year heard expert evidence that the Trains engaged in terrorism that was religiously motivated by their extreme Christian beliefs.

Ryan said he accepted the psychiatric expert evidence in regards to the Trains’ motives, saying the trio suffered from a “shared delusional disorder”.

“They were psychotically unwell and driven by their beliefs.”

But Ryan said it was not possible to conclude the Trains committed a terrorist act under definition of the Commonwealth criminal code.

Central to the belief system of the Train family was a strong adherence to Christian premillennialism, a faith deeply intertwined with their anticipation of the end times. However, beneath this religious conviction lay a foundation of significant psychiatric challenges.

“Their beliefs — although wrong — presented extreme danger to any police who attended their property,” Ryan said.

“They believed the government was evil and that police officers were demons intent on killing them.”

All three Trains were shot dead by specialist police officers hours later after refusing to negotiate or surrender.

In a recent investigation, Queensland’s Special Emergency Response Team has been commended for their actions during an intense shootout that spanned over an hour. The findings indicate that the use of lethal force was warranted, according to the conclusions drawn by Ryan.

“The Trains were intent on killing police officers and intent on dying rather than being taken into custody,” Ryan said.

Constables Arnold and McCrow had attended the property with fellow Constables Randall Kirk and Keely Brough on behalf of NSW police.

The events were set in motion when Nathaniel Train, who held a position as a principal at a state primary school in northern New South Wales, was reported missing. This disappearance marked the beginning of a series of tragic events.

Constables Kirk and Brough narrowly escaped being killed by the Trains.

NSW Police had not passed on the full information in their computer system to Queensland Police when requesting assistance, Ryan found.

“I accept evidence given by witnesses from NSW and Queensland that in policing, more information is always better,” Ryan said.

The Queensland officers involved in the incident were acknowledged for having the opportunity to conduct a thorough risk assessment, which informed their response during the confrontation.

Outside the Brisbane Magistrate’s Court, Judy McCrow and Sue Arnold, the mothers of Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold respectively, were seen on Friday, reflecting the personal toll of the incident. Source: AAP / Darren England

“The officers who did attend (Wieambilla) were denied that opportunity.”

Ryan could not find that Queensland police would have conclusively done anything differently if they had more information from NSW police about Gareth Train’s threatening behaviour and beliefs.

Ryan also recommended that Queensland police review an expanded use of drones for gathering information about remote properties.

He also called for Queensland to consider mandatory mental health assessments for people applying for firearms licences as at least some of the guns and ammunition used at Wieambilla were lawfully obtained.