By Tobi Loftus, ABC
Stacey and Gareth Train in a video posted to YouTube on the night of the police shooting at Wieambilla. Photo: YouTube
A Queensland coroner says the three extremists behind the Wieambilla attack, which claimed the lives of two young police officers and a neighbour, had a "shared delusional disorder" and were "intent" on killing.
Almost three years have passed since Constable Matthew Arnold, Constable Rachel McCrow and Alan Dare were shot dead.
On 12 December, 2022, the police officers were ambushed by Gareth, Nathaniel and Stacey Train, while responding to a missing persons report.
Colleagues Constable Keely Brough and Constable Randall Kirk survived.
The shooters were later gunned down, following a six-hour siege with specialist police.
A mammoth five-week inquest was held last year into the deadly attack, which occurred on a rural block near Tara, about 300km west of Brisbane.
Coroner Terry Ryan handed down his findings on Friday, making 10 recommendations.
"Matt and Rachel's lives were precious," said Constable McCrow's mother, Judy, outside court. "Their deaths under such horrible, brutal circumstances were preventable.
"Because we love and miss them so much, we will forever grieve and live shattered lives."
Trio 'intent' on killing, 'intent on dying'
Ryan said it was "not possible" to conclude the Trains committed a terrorist act, adding the current definition of terrorism was "narrow".
Queensland Police previously described the shooting as a "religiously motivated terrorist attack".
With the help of psychiatric experts, the coroner concluded the trio were suffering from a "shared delusional disorder" in the lead-up to the ambush.
"They were psychotically unwell and driven by their beliefs."
Ryan said, from the moment they began engaging with officers on that day, they were "intent" on killing the officers and "intent on dying", rather than being taken into custody.
"While end-of-times religious themes came central to their belief system, their psychotic disorder was underpinned by broader persecutory beliefs… including the government was evil and the police officers attending… were demons."
Ryan said the online activities of Gareth Train in the lead-up to the incident, which were "carried out in plain sight", did not appear to be "monitored or draw attention of law enforcement agencies", even when officers were sent to the property.
He said artificial intelligence had the potential to be harnessed to "detect, disrupt and respond" such online behaviour.
"I recommend the issue of information sharing between Australian law enforcement agencies be considered by the police commissioners' forum," he said.
Paranoia and 'distrust of police'
Ryan said he was not able to make any definitive findings on information NSW Police provided to their Queensland counterparts about the missing persons case.
On 12 December, NSW Police requested help from Queensland Police with Nathaniel Train's case.
They provided information over the phone and emailed Queensland colleagues, warning of Gareth Train's paranoia and "distrust of police".
However, four emails that NSW Police had received from a person close to Nathaniel Train were not passed on to Queensland authorities.
Ryan said, if those additional emails had been sent, "it's not possible to know if it would have delayed attendance at the Wieambilla property" or "which officers attended".
He said the four emails not being shared was "regrettable".
"I do not accept that the information sharing between NSW and Queensland can be said to have caused any of the deaths," he wrote in his findings.
"Further, there is insufficient information adduced in this inquest to suggest that the policies, procedures or training in relation to the sharing of information in either jurisdiction was inadequate, either in respect of the officers involved in the events, which gave rise to this inquest, or generally."
'Adequately equipped', but 'no match for an ambush'
Ryan said the four officers were "adequately equipped and trained" to respond to the missing persons case they had expected to attend, but he said the evidence showed that, once the shooting began, their equipment was "woefully inadequate to [defend] themselves or each other on the attack they faced".
"They were no match for an ambush," he said.
"[I'm] not satisfied extra protection may have prevented their deaths… given the wholly unexpected and unprecedented nature of what was lying in wait."
Ryan said it was difficult to see how any responding officer would be equipped to respond to the events that unfolded.
In his view, Constables Kirk and Brough could have done nothing that would have prevented the death of their colleagues.
The coroner found police communication with the Wieambilla community, including Dare's family, was "adequate and appropriate" throughout the incident.
He said there were telecommunication issues in the area.
Alan Dare's wife, Kerry, who listened to the findings via video link from her home, interrupted proceedings to say, "That's a lie".
"Really good reception here, really good reception," she said.
Dare's son was in court, but left the hearing soon after that point.
Family 'initially disappointed' with recommendations
Ryan made 10 recommendations in total, including several on the need for more training for 'Triple Zero' operators and for police to review their drone capabilities.
He also recommended the Queensland government consider boosting funding to a specialist threat assessment centre and consider whether introducing mental health assessments for weapons licence applications was feasible.
Among the recommendations was that Queensland Police consider the need for a full-time intelligence officer in the Missing Persons Unit.
Outside court, Judy McCrow said she had hoped the recommendations would prevent a similar tragedy, but was "initially disappointed".
"We need time to read, process and respond to the findings, and ensure, as families, our concerns and issues that were raised during this process have been listened to and respected."
Speaking after the inquest findings were handed down, Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon said it was an "important day" for the families of those who died.
"It was a dark day for the Queensland Police Service back in December 2022," she said. "We will never lose sight of that, and the loss of our officers and a member of the community."
Deputy Commissioner Scanlon said police were pleased with the "very important" findings, and they would be used to improve community safety and the safety of officers.
She did not comment further on the recommendations made by the coroner.
Queensland Police Union acting president Andy Williams said the coroner's findings showed each of the police officers who responded on the day had done so with "incredible bravery".
He hoped the findings would lead to improvements in the availability of technology, like drones and better communications equipment for police officers on the ground.
Williams said better sharing of information was also needed, urging the police service to make changes as required.
- ABC
