Police videos show final hours of Wieambilla shooters
By Rex Martinich
A coroner investigating the shooting deaths of six people has released helicopter footage of the suspects’ final hours alive as they fired at police attempting to raid their remote property.
Two police officers were among the people killed on December 12, 2022 when an arrest warrant turned into an ambush by concealed shooters with high-powered rifles at the Queensland property.
State Coroner Terry Ryan released multiple videos ahead of an inquest’s fourth day of hearings on Thursday.
The videos were mainly captured after sunset at the Wieambilla property, west of Brisbane, via infrared cameras on two police helicopters as they circled a house surrounded by bushland.
A burning police vehicle and a perimeter of small fire set by Gareth, Stacey and Nathaniel Train around their property can be seen in the footage.
Gareth Train is seen firing a rifle at one of the helicopters before sitting down at an outside table with his wife Stacey and recording a YouTube video with her.
“They came to kill us and we killed them … If you don’t defend yourself against these devils and demons, you’re a coward,” Gareth Train said in the video.
Nathaniel Train can later be seen lying prone behind a log and firing at an armoured BearCat police vehicle using a rifle with a scope.
Gareth Train is seen between the house and its water tank while he also shoots at police.
Soon after the video ends, all three Trains were fatally shot by police within minutes of each other.
Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were shot dead at 4.37pm as they walked with another two officers up a driveway leading to the property intending to locate Nathaniel Train.
Footage from Constable Randall Kirk’s bodycam footage as he ran for safety.Credit: QLD Police
Ryan previously heard that then-Inspector Wayne Rasmussen was assigned the role of forward commander at 4.47pm after reports of two officers being shot.
Rasmussen was due to give evidence on Thursday at the five-week inquest at Brisbane Coroners Court.
Queensland Police Acting Superintendent Timothy Mowle deployed Rasmussen to a forward command post established near the incident scene.
Counsel assisting Ruth O’Gorman previously told Ryan both senior officers on Thursday would “give evidence of critical decisions made that evening”.
Rasmussen approved a rescue mission for Constable Keely Brough as she was in danger of being shot or burned to death by a fire lit by the Trains to flush her out.
During Rasmussen’s command, Wieambilla resident Alan Dare was shot dead by the Trains after he went to investigate the fire.
Dare’s wife Kerry told Ryan on Wednesday Rasmussen was the officer who confirmed her husband was dead.
Rasmussen handed over command of the scene to the Police Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) at 9.05pm.
By 10.41pm, all three Trains had been fatally shot by SERT officers after they refused to negotiate and fired on police.
AAP