Queensland Police would have consulted a counterterrorism unit before approaching a rural property where six people were fatally shot if NSW detectives had shared threatening emails, a coroner has heard.
Brothers Nathaniel, 46, and Gareth Train, 47, opened fire on four junior constables as they walked up the driveway of a remote property at Wieambilla, west of Brisbane, late in the afternoon of December 12, 2022.
State Coroner Terry Ryan previously heard NSW Police Detective Senior Constable Tim Montgomery contacted Chinchilla officers near Wieambilla asking if they could attend the property for a missing persons “welfare check” on Nathaniel Train, but did not share the latest police reports.
Some of the reports not shared summarised emails from Gareth Train telling his brother officers wanted to “see you dead” and vowing to “greet them as they deserve” if they turned up to his remote bush property.
Queensland Plain Clothes Senior Constable Stephanie Abbott testified in Brisbane Coroners Court on Wednesday that she would not have instructed officers to attend the Wieambilla property, owned by Gareth Train, if she had seen those emails.
“In (your prior interview) you said there was literally a million other things you would have done? Some of the other things you mentioned were getting intel, speaking to counterterrorism, speaking to other Train family members?” Sen Const Abbott was asked.
“Yes,” Sen Const Abbott said.
Nathaniel Train had been reported missing in NSW nearly three weeks before the shootings and he also had an outstanding arrest warrant for Queensland offences.
Sen Const Abbott also said she would have discussed Gareth Train’s emails with her supervising officer before sending police to Wieambilla to either locate Nathaniel Train or question his brother about his whereabouts.
The Train brothers used high-powered rifles to kill two officers Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, during an ambush while Randall Kirk was able to retreat under fire and Keely Brough hid for more than two hours before being rescued.
Sen Const Abbott said she did background checks and passed on the relevant information she had about the Trains at the time to the officers in an email, including that Nathaniel Train had a licence for two rifles and a shotgun.
“I said if it gets too dark, don’t go down there in the dark,” Sen Const Abbott said.
Queensland Detective Chief Inspector Garry Watts will give his opinion on the decisions made during the missing person investigation.
Nathaniel Train joined Gareth and his sibling’s wife Stacey, 45, to kill neighbour Alan Dare, 58, soon after fatally shooting the two constables.
All three Trains were shot dead hours later by specialist officers after they refused to surrender and opened fire on a police armoured vehicle.
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