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A Queensland coroner has ruled that while three individuals involved in the 2022 Wieambilla shooting suffered from a shared delusional disorder, their actions did not legally constitute a terrorist act.
Almost three years after the shocking deaths of two police officers and two civilians near Wieambilla, Queensland State Coroner Terry Ryan delivered his findings in Brisbane on Friday. The incident,which unfolded on December 12,2022,saw brothers Nathaniel Train,46,and Gareth Train,47,fatally shoot constables Matthew Arnold,26,and rachel McCrow,29,at a rural property west of Brisbane.
A Descent into Delusion
The inquest revealed that the Trains,along with a third individual,were gripped by a “shared delusional disorder.” According to the coroner, they were “psychotically unwell and driven by their beliefs.” Expert psychiatric evidence presented during the inquest indicated the shootings were religiously motivated, stemming from the Trains’ extreme Christian beliefs and a faith in Christian premillennialism – a belief in the end of times.
Despite acknowledging the religiously motivated nature of the attack,Ryan resolute that the Trains’ actions did not meet the legal definition of terrorism under the Commonwealth criminal code. The coroner emphasized that while their beliefs were “wrong,” they presented an “extreme danger” to any law enforcement who approached their property. The individuals believed the goverment was inherently evil and viewed police officers as “demons intent on killing them.”
Deadly Confrontation and Police Response
All three individuals were killed by specialist police officers following a protracted shootout lasting over an hour. Ryan found that the Queensland Special Emergency Response Team acted appropriately in their use of lethal force, noting that the Trains were “intent on killing police officers and intent on dying rather than being taken into custody.”
Constables Arnold and mccrow were dispatched to the property alongside constables Randall Kirk and Keely Brough, acting on a request from NSW Police. Nathaniel Train had been reported missing from his position as a primary school principal in northern NSW. Constables Kirk and Brough narrowly avoided being killed during the ambush.
Communication Breakdown and Systemic Concerns
The coroner’s findings highlighted a critical breakdown in communication between NSW and Queensland Police. Ryan discovered that NSW Police did not fully relay available details regarding Nathaniel Train’s disappearance and Gareth Train’s possibly threatening behavior and beliefs to their Queensland counterparts.
“I accept evidence given by witnesses from NSW and queensland that in policing, more information is always better,” Ryan stated. He emphasized that the lack of complete information denied Queensland officers the chance for a “more complete risk assessment.” However, Ryan could not definitively conclude that providing this additional information would have altered the outcome of the incident.
Recommendations for the Future
Following the inquest, Ryan issued several recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies. He suggested that Queensland police review the expanded use of drones for gathering intelligence about remote properties. Moreover, he called for consideration of mandatory mental health assessments for individuals applying for firearms licenses, as some of the weapons and ammunition used in the Wieambilla shooting were obtained legally.
The findings underscore the complex interplay between mental health, extremist beliefs, and access to firearms, prompting a critical examination of existing protocols and potential improvements to ensure the safety of law enforcement and the public.
Image of Judy McCrow (left), mother of Rachel McCrow and sue Arnold (right), mother of Matthew Arnold, outside Brisbane Magistrate’s Court on Friday.Source: AAP / Darren England–The mothers of the fallen officers are seen outside court following the release of the coroner’s findings.
