Wieambilla Shootings Deemed Not a Terrorist Act, Queensland Coroner Finds
A Queensland coroner has ruled that the 2022 shooting deaths of two police officers and a neighbor at Wieambilla were not a terrorist act, despite the shooters’ adherence to extreme Christian beliefs surrounding the end of times.
Coroner Terry Ryan resolute that Nathaniel, Gareth, and Stacey Train, who ambushed and killed Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow, suffered from a “shared delusional disorder” and were “psychotically unwell.” while their beliefs were central to their actions and presented an “extreme danger” to law enforcement, they did not meet the legal definition of terrorism under the Commonwealth criminal code.
The coroner found the Trains believed the government was “evil” and viewed police officers as “demons intent on killing them.” All three were killed by specialist police officers following a more than hour-long shootout after refusing to negotiate or surrender. Ryan found the actions of the Queensland Special Emergency Response Team in using lethal force were appropriate. The Trains, he stated, were “intent on killing police officers and intent on dying rather than being taken into custody.”
The inquiry also revealed shortcomings in information sharing between police forces. NSW police did not provide Queensland Police with complete information from their computer system when requesting assistance, potentially hindering a full risk assessment. Ryan acknowledged that “more information is always better” in policing and that the attending Queensland officers were “denied that opportunity.” Though, he could not definitively conclude that additional information would have altered the outcome.
Ryan’s report included recommendations for Queensland Police, suggesting a review of expanded drone use for gathering information about remote properties. He also proposed considering mandatory mental health assessments for individuals applying for firearms licenses, as some of the weapons and ammunition used in the shooting were legally obtained.
Sources: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/man-arrested-over-queensland-terorr-shootings-allegedly-sent-end-of-days-messages/xf2hm7twj (used for direct quote and belief context) and the provided text.
