‘THANK YOU FOR YOUR BRAVERY’
TRIBUTES FLOW FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS KILLED ON DUTY
Constable Matthew Arnold had his car packed and was ready to visit his family for Christmas when he got called into work.
Sadly, the 26-year-old never made it home. His life, as well as that of fellow office Rachel Mccrow, was cut short on December 12, when the pair were shot dead during a seemingly routine missing persons call on a property in Queensland’s Wieambilla.
Hayley Arnold, a triplet to Constable Arnold, said there were “no words” to describe her pain over the loss of her brother.
“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,” The Courier Mail reported Hayley sharing on social media.
“I can’t begin to explain the love and bond we had. As triplets, we were born together and were meant to grow old together.
“The hole in our lives is immense and indescribable. We will love you forever.”
Longtime friends of Rachel Mccrow, 29, told the media her loss “will forever be felt by us”.
“She valued her family and friends more than anything, she was a constant support for the ones she loved, always going above and beyond to ensure they had everything they needed.
“It cannot be said enough how much she will be missed, not only today, but every day, there will be a piece missing at all future weddings, births and life milestones that Rachel would have cherished.”
A minute’s silence was held at the Tara Police Station for the two constables. The neighbouring town of Chinchilla ran out of flowers as floral tributes flooded the police stations of the small communities.
Constables Randall Kirk, 28, and Keely Brough, 28, survived the attack.
The property the officers were investigating belonged to Gareth Train and his wife Stacey. Police were looking for Gareth’s brother Nathaniel, who’d been reported missing.
The Train brothers, along with Stacey, were lying in wait for the officers. As they approached the house, the trio opened fire on the four constables.
Kirk was hit in the leg but managed to escape. Brough, who had only been a police
officer for eight weeks, fled into bushland.
Noting her escape, the Trains lit a bushfire in the attempt to drive Brough out of hiding.
Lying in the tall grass, moving only to use her phone, Brough texted colleagues about the shooters. Fearing for her life, she also messaged her loved ones goodbye.
The smoke from the blaze alerted neighbour Alan Dare, who came to investigate. He too was callously shot and killed.
The killings sparked a swift response from the Special Emergency Response Team who arrived at the scene from Brisbane, and all three of the assailants were shot dead.
The state’s police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, said the deceased police officers, who lived together in the close-knit community of nearby Tara, were new to the force.
“Losing one of our own has a profound impact on every single officer and their families. To lose two officers in one incident is absolutely devastating,” Commissioner Carroll said.
“Those officers paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep our community safe.”