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Queensland coroner overturns terrorism designation in 2022 police ambush
Queensland's state coroner ruled Friday that the fatal 2022 ambush of two police officers by three religious extremists was not an act of terrorism, reversing an earlier classification that marked the attack as Australia's first religiously motivated terror incident.
Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, were shot dead on December 12, 2022, during a routine welfare check at a remote property in Wieambilla, about 270 km west of Brisbane. Nathaniel, Gareth, and Stacey Train-armed with high-powered rifles and shotguns-ambushed the officers upon arrival, sparking an hours-long siege that ended with police killing the trio.
Ambush driven by paranoia, not terrorism, coroner finds
State Coroner Terry Ryan concluded the Trains acted within a "delusional framework," perceiving police as an "evil advance" on their property. "In the months before December 12, 2022, they had fortified their home and prepared to ambush any officers who crossed their boundary," Ryan stated, rejecting the terrorism label.
Ryan criticized Australia's 2002 terrorism definition as "unhelpfully narrow," noting it was designed for "large, well-planned" attacks and may not reflect modern threats. Despite the Trains' religious fanaticism and conspiracy theories, he ruled their actions defensive rather than ideological.
"For us, this was a standard job. We go to thousands of these every week."
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll
Attack unfolded with "ruthless" precision
The officers arrived to check on Nathaniel Train, a former school principal reported missing in New South Wales. Upon approaching the house, they were met with gunfire. Arnold and McCrow were killed immediately; a third officer found cover, while a fourth retreated with a leg wound. Neighbor Alan Dare, 58, was later shot dead after arriving at the scene.
Senior Sergeant Tracy Bailey testified that the Trains were "prepared for a lethal confrontation," with no way for officers to anticipate the ambush. Nathaniel Train killed Arnold, while Gareth Train fatally shot McCrow.
Radicalization traced to Port Arthur massacre, pandemic isolation
The inquest revealed Gareth Train's descent into extremism began after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, intensifying during the Covid-19 pandemic. By 2020, he posted online threats to Queensland police, writing: "Be warned QPS, you all have a choice to make-be on the right side, or face execution."
His wife, Stacey, and brother Nathaniel adopted similar apocalyptic beliefs, leading to family estrangement. The coroner noted that New South Wales police failed to share emails from Nathaniel's wife warning of the trio's volatility-a "regrettable" oversight that deprived Queensland officers of critical intelligence.
Recommendations focus on rural police safety
Ryan issued 10 recommendations to bolster officer protection, including expanded drone use for remote risk assessments. The findings underscore gaps in interstate information-sharing and the challenges of policing isolated, heavily armed individuals.
Australia's gun laws, tightened after Port Arthur, have since been unevenly enforced across states, raising concerns among control advocates about eroding protections.
