Footage reveals moment Queensland Police realised they were ambushed at Wieambilla
Never before seen footage captured by one of the police officers ambushed at a rural Queensland property during welfare check depicts the harrowing moments he came face-to-face with death.
Constables Rachel McCrow, 29, and Matthew Arnold, 26, were gunned down after they attended the Wieambilla property of Gareth Train and his wife, Stacey.
The pair arrived at the property alongside Constables Keely Brought and Randall Kirk to perform a welfare check for Gareth’s brother, Nathaniel Train, in December 2022, who also had an warrant out for his arrest.
Camera IconConstable Matthew Arnold and Constable Rachel McCrow were gunned down at the property in the western Darling Downs. Credit: Supplied
But what was meant to be a simple job quickly turned deadly when a single shot rang out.
Footage from Constable Randall Kirk’s body-worn camera released on day two of the coronial inquest showed the four officers jumping the fence at the Train property about 4.35pm to approach the house on foot.
Less than two minutes after the officers entered the property a shot rang out and Constable Arnold was killed about 120m from the front gate.
He died from a shot in the chest and remained motionless on the ground while his colleagues ducked for cover.
The inquest was told the fatal bullet had been fired by Nathaniel.
Camera IconA still from Randall Kirk’s body-worn camera running from the Train’s Wieambilla property while being shot at. Supplied Credit: NewsWire
About seven minutes later, Constable McCrow was fatally shot by Gareth, who shot her with his rifle at close range.
The Trains had lit fires to try to smoke out Constable Brough, who had managed to hid in bushland metres away from where her colleagues were murdered.
Constable Kirk had also managed to hide behind a tree before making the frightening dash back to his police vehicle.
His camera was rolling the entire time.
How cop tried to stay alive
Audio from the footage reveals the conversations he had with his supervising officer, Sergeant Justin Dryer, as the horrifying scene played out.
Camera IconConstable Randall Kirk (centre) had his body worn footage rolling during the ambush. Dan Peled / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia
Constable Kirk fired one shot after Constable McCrow discharged her weapon, firing 15 times, before she was killed.
The inquest heard another officer’s body worn footage captured audio of one of the Train brothers saying “that was a mistake boys” and “come out come out and get on the f**king ground or you die”.
Constable Kirk knew he couldn’t stay where he was as his gunshot had alerted the Trains to his location.
He told Sergeant Dryer that “a man had a rifle and was coming over to them”.
Camera IconGareth Train’s rifle was found beside his body after he was fatally shot by SERT officers. Credit: Supplied
“He shot Rachel I believe,” Constable Kirk said at 4.46pm.
“I think she’s dead. She shot him I think. He’s still walking.”
He then clarifies: “She shot at him.”
‘Run’: cop makes dash to freedom
Constable Kirk continues to explain the harrowing events playing out in front of his eyes.
“They’ve got Matthew now. F**k sake,” he said.
“Matt’s not moving. Rachel’s not moving now. Keely, I haven’t seen. What do you want me to do?”
Still on the phone, Constable Kirk says: “He’s coming over”.
“Should I run,“ he asks.
Sergeant Drier asks: “Do they know where you are?”
“Yes they do,” Constable Kirk replied.
Constable Kirk then makes a daring run for safety to his car, gun in one hand and phone in the other.
Camera IconAerial vision the Wieambilla property where the ambush took place. 9 News. Credit: Supplied
As he’s running, as he tells Sergeant Dryer “they’re coming – they’re shooting”.
Several shots can be heard in the background as he runs for cover.
Finally he makes it to the safety of his car but quickly realises he’s been shot.
“I think I’ve been shot,“ Constable Kirk can be heard saying when he finally got inside the police car.
The chilling audio continues as he drives away.
“There’s two of them, I think I’ve been shot,” he said.
“I don’t know where. They’ve got shots on the window of the car.
“I had to drive away a bit … (I’ve) lost a shoe.
“I’ve got blood on my face, I don’t know where I’ve been shot.”
Footage shows the car sprayed with gunshots as he drives away from the property.
Neighbour’s good dead turned fatal mistake
Neighbour Alan Dare spotted black plumes of smoke rising from the Train’s property.
After his wife called triple-0, he decided to go check the fire out given the area was a high bushfire zone.
He decided to film the event on his phone, without realising he was about to capture his final moments.
Camera IconAlan Dare was investigating fires when he was killed. Supplied Credit: Supplied
The frantic footage shows Mr Dare arriving at the spot where – unbeknownst to him – a police car had been set on fire.
He tells another neighbour, Victor Lewis, who is also at the scene to not ‘get too close’ as the fire is ‘still going off’.
“What the hell is in that,” Mr Dare is heard saying.
“I’m going to stay way Vic.”
Moments later, he spots a car “driving off”.
“There’s a car coming,” he tells Mr Lewis.
“There’s a car over there, and there’s someone at the door.
“Woah, someone just got out that car Vic.
Someone just got out of that other car, they walked off.”
A second later, Mr Dare was shot in the chest and dies.
The inquest heard Mr Lewis quickly left the scene to seek assistance for his mate.
Investigators were unable to determine who fired the fatal shot that killed Mr Dare.
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