Australian police are investigating the extremist views of three people who allegedly on Monday shot and killed two officers and a neighbor at a rural property before they were killed hours later by police in a gunfight.
In all, six people died in the violence in Queensland state. The suspects have been identified as former school principal Nathaniel Train, 47, his brother Gareth Train, 46, and sister-in-law Stacey Train, 45.
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll late on Tuesday said that investigators would look at the possible extremist links of the suspects after a series of posts under the name of Gareth Train were found on conspiracy theory forums.
Photo: EPA-EFE
The posts include references to anti-vaccine sentiments and claims that other high-profile shootings were hoaxes or false-flag operations.
“It’s very difficult at the moment for us to reason with what has happened, there are no obvious reasons,” Carroll told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
However, she said she had no doubt that over the coming days and weeks, police would gain some insight into the tragic events that unfolded.
Every possible motive for the killings was being examined, including whether it was a premeditated attack on the officers, Carroll said.
“Some of the stuff that’s online from these people, we will investigate what they have been doing not only in recent weeks, but in recent years, who they’ve been interacting with,” she said.
Four officers arrived at the property in the town of Wieambilla to investigate reports of a missing person, Carroll said.
They walked into a hail of gunfire, and it was a miracle that two officers managed to escape and raise the alarm, she said.
Those killed were constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, along with 58-year-old neighbor Alan Dare.
One of the officers that escaped, Constable Randall Kirk, 28, was yesterday recovering from shrapnel wounds at a hospital.
He said he and his wife wanted to thank everybody “from the prime minister down” for their messages of support.
“I’m feeling fine, just a little sore. My main thoughts are with the other police families at this awful time,” Kirk said in a statement released by the police union. “It means a lot to know the community cares for us all.”
“This is, indeed, a devastating day for everyone who loved these Australians, and our hearts go out to those in the grip of terrible grief,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
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