Queensland Police are struggling to come to grips with the deaths of two officers and have pledged to “get to the bottom” of what lead to the tragedy at a rural property.
Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, Constable Rachel McCrow, 29, and neighbour Alan Dare were shot dead at a Wieambilla property, about 300km west of Brisbane, after they were fired at by brothers Nathaniel and Gareth Train.
Constable Randall Kirk and Constable Keely Brough escaped and police are rallying around the pair.
“We’re all struggling, to be quite frank,” Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll told 9News.
“I spoke to the police that were involved in the extraction of the officers, I spoke to the surviving police, I spoke to many, many officers today, crying, upset, devastated, trying to reason with what happened and why.
“I know we will get there, but it’s going to take a long time … we will get to the bottom of it.”
The officers were fired on almost immediately as they arrived at the property to enquire about a missing person report for Nathaniel Train.
After Kirk and Brough escaped, specialist police were sent in as backup and the Train brothers and Gareth’s wife Stacey were killed during a siege.
Why the officers were fired at to begin with will be crucial for police to figure out.
“We don’t have a clearer picture at the moment,” Carroll said.
“There is an extensive investigation into what occurred.
“From what we can see, it seemed senseless, it seemed almost unnecessary. I think what the difficult part is here is we’re grappling with the senselessness of this.
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“There are excellent investigators on this, homicide squad, ethical standards.”
Surviving officers ‘are doing it tough’
Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said the two officers who escaped had survived “against all odds” and were recovering but “are doing it really tough”.
“Keely has been released, but this is only the start of the journey. It’s gonna be a long road for both of them.”
Leavers said the surviving officers would live with what happened forever after “seeing their colleagues executed” while they “were fighting for their own lives”.
He said it was a miracle they weren’t murdered as well.
Carroll said she had spoken to the parents of the two slain officers and would meet with them on Wednesday.
“They’re some of the most toughest discussions you could ever have,” she told 9News.
“They’re distraught, they can’t understand it, none of us can understand it.
“The least we can do is surround them with love and support and really pay tribute to their courage.
“They were extraordinarily popular, well-meaning, exceptional police officers.”
