Inquest into the deaths of Matthew Joseph Arnold; Rachel Clare McCrow; Alan Thomas Brendan Dare; Gareth Daniel Train; Nathaniel…
Deceased
Matthew Joseph Arnold; Rachel Clare McCrow; Alan Thomas Brendon Dare; Gareth Train; Stacey Train; Nathaniel Train
Date of death
2022-12-12
Finding date
2025-11-21
Cause of death
Constable Arnold: single gunshot wound to the chest. Constable McCrow: gunshot wound to the head. Alan Dare: gunshot wound to the chest. Gareth Train: gunshot wound to the head. Stacey Train: gunshot wound to the head. Nathaniel Train: gunshot wounds to head and torso.
AI-generated summary
On 12 December 2022, two Queensland Police Constables (Matthew Arnold, Rachel McCrow) and a civilian (Alan Dare) were fatally shot at 251 Wains Road, Wieambilla by Gareth and Nathaniel Train while responding to a missing persons enquiry. All deceased and the shooters (Gareth, Stacey, and Nathaniel Train) died on 12 December 2022. The Trains suffered from shared delusional disorder characterised by persecutory beliefs, anti-government views, and end-times religious ideology. Four constables attended what appeared to be a routine missing persons job with no intelligence flags. The Trains had prepared the property with shooting hides and were waiting to ambush police. The officers' threat assessments were reasonable based on available information. NSW Police failed to provide Queensland Police with detailed emails containing concerning communications from Gareth Train that might have prompted greater caution, though these emails alone would not necessarily have prevented attendance. Significant recommendations address mental health assessments for firearms licensees, QFTAC resourcing, information sharing protocols, and RPAS expansion in rural areas.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Contributing factors
- Shared delusional disorder affecting all three Trains
- Untreated mental illness with persecutory and religious delusions
- Anti-government and anti-police conspiracy beliefs
- Failure of NSW Police to provide detailed concerning communications to Queensland Police
- Property fortified with shooting hides and barricade
- Officers engaged in ambush with no warning
- Radio communication failures in rural area
- Isolation of the Trains from community and family
- Online engagement reinforcing extremist beliefs through US contact
- Cardiac stress event and medication refusal contributing to Nathaniel's deterioration
Coroner's recommendations
- QPS review resourcing of Missing Persons Unit, including consideration of full-time intelligence officer
- Queensland Government undertake review of feasibility of mandatory mental health assessments for weapons licence applicants
- QPS review policies on triple-0 call operator access to nearby jobs and frequency of training
- QPS review procedures for supervision and guidance of civilian call takers during critical incidents
- QPS prioritise review of remote piloted aircraft system capability for expansion into remote and rural locations
- QPS Commissioner conduct review of aerial fire support limitations and solutions for SERT operations
- Queensland Government consider increased funding for Queensland Fixated Threat Assessment Centre
- QPS Commissioner provide further internal education to QPS members about QFTAC
- Police Commissioners' Forum consider information and intelligence sharing between Australian law enforcement agencies
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