Inquest into the deaths of Darren WALLACE and T B D
Deceased
Darren Wallace; TBD
Demographics
male
Date of death
2015-12-09
Finding date
2022-07-05
Cause of death
Darren Wallace: single gunshot wound to right side of neck. TBD: two self-inflicted gunshot wounds
AI-generated summary
Two deaths occurred on 9 December 2015 in a tragic incident connected to a dispute within the Rebels Outlaw Motorcycle Gang. TBD, a 31-year-old former ADF member with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use disorder, and stimulant use disorder, shot and killed Darren Wallace (32) at a service station, then took his own life. TBD had experienced multiple police contacts in the preceding weeks, including a mental health assessment on 14 November following serious threats at a pub. The coroner found that while TBD received intensive psychiatric treatment, his condition was significantly complicated by OMCG membership, which provided structure initially but destabilised him upon departure. Police bail decisions were examined; while appearing appropriate given TBD's presentation at the time, the coroner noted the limitations police faced due to OMCG codes of silence and lack of cooperation from witnesses. The Wallace family experienced distressing treatment during police scene management. The coroner noted research linking post-military substance use to increased violence risk, and that TBD's departure from the OMCG likely exacerbated his PTSD.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Contributing factors
- TBD's untreated PTSD from Afghanistan deployment
- TBD's alcohol use disorder and stimulant use disorder
- Disputes within Rebels OMCG chapter regarding exit payments
- TBD's expulsion or departure from Rebels OMCG
- Access to firearms
- Lack of ongoing structured mental health monitoring post-discharge
- OMCG culture of silence hampering police investigation and intervention
- Loss of organisational structure and support on leaving ADF and subsequently OMCG
Coroner's recommendations
- The ADF should review the prevalence of former ADF members joining outlaw motorcycle gangs
- A copy of these findings should be sent to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicides
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