Who was Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow? How did the young police officers die in Wieambilla shooting? Explained

Officers Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were killed by the Train brothers in the Wieambilla shooting. Let’s see who was Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow and how did the young police officers die in a Wieambilla shooting in detail.

How did Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow die? 

Officers Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were killed while investigating the disappearance of Nathaniel Train in a rural home, causing a siege. Here’s how it unfolded:

At a secluded Queensland farm, six people—two of them police officers—died in an ambush that has been dubbed “ruthless” and “cold-blooded.”

It is with a heavy heart we confirm the deaths of Constable Matthew Arnold and Constable Rachel McCrow.

Their lives were cut tragically short in the line of duty at Wieambilla yesterday.

With Honour They Served. pic.twitter.com/XIahH0zGUX

— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) December 12, 2022

A former school principal Nathaniel Train, his brother (Gareth Train), and his sister-in-law (Stacey) are accused of killing the officers and a neighbor on Monday night. They were eventually shot dead in a confrontation with heavily equipped tactical police.

Before cops killed him, property owner Gareth Train frequently commented on a conspiracy website. The horrifying act, according to Queensland police commissioner Katarina Carroll, devastated the families of the victims and the entire police force.

Who are Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow?

Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, both worked at the Tara police station. The two deceased cops were living together in a police-owned residence in Tara, 45 minutes south of Wieambilla.

Rachel was sworn in as a police officer last year in June 2021, while Matthew was sworn in as a police officer in March 2020. They had served in Dalby together previously.

Constable Arnold’s close friend informed that the young officer had parked his car and was prepared to go four hours to Brisbane to spend the Christmas holidays with his parents.

‘He was meant to come home today and start his Christmas holidays with friends,’ she said. ‘He would already be driving back home if he never got that call yesterday.’ Roughly 100 people live in the Queensland town of Wieambilla, which is located just south of Chinchilla.

Constable Arnold’s triplet sister’s tribute:

On Tuesday night, Constable Arnold’s triplet sister Hayley posted an homage to her brother on social media.

“I can’t begin to explain the love and bond we had,” she wrote. “As triplets, we were born together and were meant to grow old together. One-third of me is gone, and in place is a physical heartbreak, pain I’ve had since we received that knock on the door.”

‘You were meant to come home today and stay home for Christmas. You should’ve been able to come home.”

After escaping into the adjacent bush land, Constable Brough sent a series of panicked texts to friends, family, and coworkers.  Officer Kirk also managed to escape, despite a gunshot wound to the leg.

With his pregnant wife and young child, Constable Kirk resides in Chinchilla. He and Constable Brough are both recovering in the hospital. Around 10.30 p.m. Local time, Nathaniel, Gareth, and his partner Stacey Train were all fatally shot by police.

Wieambilla shooting- “Officers didn’t stand a chance”:

Katarina Carroll, the police commissioner for Queensland, stated that the two policemen who were killed in the Wieambilla shooting incident on Monday night “did not stand a chance”.

In a tearful press conference late on Monday, Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll paid tribute to the policemen. She declared, “In my opinion, those officers didn’t stand a chance.”

“Matthew and Rachel were members of the Queensland Police Service who were highly well-liked and respected.” They were both committed, courageous young people who loved helping the community and the police, she said.

“Both under 30 years of age. Both had wonderful careers and lives ahead of them. We have dedicated family liaison officers in place supporting their families. I will be visiting their families very shortly. Tara is a small station within a very tight-knit community.”

Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, were killed by a “hail of gunshots”. Following a siege, a special response squad of 16 officers shot and killed three individuals.

Speaking on Tuesday morning from Chinchilla, Carroll called the deaths of the two cops “devastating.” She claimed that morning, she had visited the property to look at the “confronting” scene. She said. “The fact that two got out alive is a miracle.”

Carroll responded that the police had been shot at in an open location when questioned about her observations at the site. They were in an exposed area when you are in that moment, walking towards the house and where this supposedly took place.

Going back, she added, “I would say that I cannot believe that two officers got out alive. The attackers then started a grass fire to find the hiding officer.

A 58-year-old neighbor from another property was shot and died when he arrived to see what was going on. “From what I understand, the neighbor was going to see what was occurring and I’m not sure if it was because of the fire or hearing weapons being shot,” Carroll said. “But that neighbor, like my officers, didn’t stand a chance either.”

Queensland shooting- Timeline:

4:30 pm on Monday 

As part of the hunt for missing New South Wales man Nathaniel Train, 46, from Dubbo, police were dispatched to a rural property on Wain Road in Wieambilla, around 300 kilometers west of Brisbane.

On December 4th, the train had been reported as missing. Senior police sources have named Train, his brother Gareth Train, and Gareth’s wife Stacey as the alleged murderers.

They allegedly set up the ambush and shot the officers dead as they approached the property. Police officers Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, scaled a fence to get to the residence on the property. As they moved up the driveway, they came under fire.

The policemen encountered “a hail of bullets,” according to Ian Leavers, the head of the Queensland police union. “They had no idea what was coming.” They were shot, and as a result, they fell to the ground. These ruthless, murderous people, then went and executed the two police who were on the ground.

They were executed in cold blood.”

Constables Keeley Brough and Randall Kirk, both 28 years old, hid behind them. Brough was able to flee by hiding in the grass, while Kirk only received a minor wound from the gunshot.

Later, Brough and Kirk were transferred to the hospital to receive non-life-threatening medical treatment. To lure the female officer out of cover during the ambush, the attackers started a grass fire. Alan Dare, a neighbor, arrived to find out what was going on after hearing a gunshot also shot by the murderers.

6 pm:

At 6 o’clock, police declared an emergency under the Public Safety Preservation Act, closing the neighborhood and advising inhabitants to stay inside.

A siege started as soon as 16 specialized police officers and PolAir, led by a local sergeant, arrived at the residence.

10.30 pm:

The two men, a lady, and cops were shot dead during a battle, according to the force.

Early on Tuesday morning, police released a statement saying that “two males and a female were fatally shot during a confrontation with police shortly after 10.30 pm.”

Tuesday morning:

The officers “didn’t stand a chance,” Commissioner Carroll claimed after visiting the scene on Tuesday morning. She claimed that they were all fired upon in an area with minimal to no cover.

“The fact that two were alive is a miracle,” she said. “To think [two] survived the scene, let alone… Called for assistance, is just extraordinary.”

Tributes to Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold:

Harry Clarke tweeted,

Having observed a minute’s silence in honor of Constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold, Tara locals embrace police officers to say thanks and offer support @CountryCaller

Dan Andrews tweeted,

Constable Matthew Arnold and Constable Rachel McCrow had their lives tragically cut short at work. They served to keep their community safe. And they did so with honor. I extend the sympathies of all Victorians to their families, and to all Queenslanders.

Trish tweeted,

What a horrific, heartbreaking disaster with two beautiful young Australian Police Officers being lured to their death by evil criminals. All of Australia is mourning with the grieving relatives and friends of Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow. My love and deepest sympathy.

British Columbia Sheriff Service tweeted,

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Cst. Matthew Arnold and Cst. Rachel McCrow, and their colleagues with the @QldPolice, as they deal with the tragic on-duty death of these two officers last night. We stand with you in grief.

John Eren MP tweeted,

This is Constable Matthew Arnold and Constable Rachel McCrow. Unfortunately, their lives have been cut short by evil people. They lost their lives in the line of duty serving and protecting the community. It’s a horrible day today! My heart goes out to their loved ones.

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