Wieambilla shooting: Cop-killers’ father says he had a meltdown: Ron Train

The deeply religious father of cold-blooded brothers who gunned down two police officers and shot their neighbour in the back before being killed in wild shootout says the boys ‘lost their way’ but aren’t ‘monsters’.

Retired Baptist pastor Ron Train said he was in ‘shock’ and broke down in tears when he learned of the bloody siege at their remote Wieambilla property, three hours west of Brisbane.

Nathaniel and Gareth Train, and Gareth’s wife Stacey who was previously married to Nathaniel, ambushed Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, on Monday shooting the pair dead execution-style.

Constable Randall Kirk was shot in the leg but made it to his patrol car while Constable Keely Brough hid in the scrub until she was rescued by special operations police hours later.

Alan Dare, a neighbour who came to investigate after hearing the gunshots was also killed.

‘I had a complete meltdown,’ Mr Train told A Current Affair.

I’m a believer, I cried out to God because I just could not understand how something like this have occurred,’ he told A Current Affair.

Retired Baptist pastor Ron Train said he was in ‘shock’ and broke down in tears when he learned of the bloody siege at their remote Wieambilla property, three hours west of Brisbane

He said he has not spoken to either of his two boys in more than 20 years and said he does not feel responsible for what happened.

‘My late wife and I raised them with certain Christian beliefs, but they went down this track, this dark track, that we have no understanding of.

‘I wouldn’t describe them as monsters. I’d describe them as two boys who completely lost their way in life.’

Among the more bizarre aspects of his estranged son’s lives was their love triangle with Stacey.

‘I married Nathaniel and Stacey here in Toowoomba Baptist Church In Toowoomba,’ Mr Train said.

The man of the church added he had ‘no idea’ that Stacey had gone on to marry Gareth and they had shacked up in the bush near Chinchilla in a small wooden house – but could understand how the relationship may have developed. 

‘Gareth was my second son and he was very overpowering, as I’ve shared with you on the Asperger’s scale, very difficult to control from a young age and in the end, that relationship that Nathaniel and Stacey had, he just took over.’

Former school principal Nathaniel Train married Stacey in Toowoomba (pictured) 23 years ago 

Gareth Train (left) later took over Nathaniel’s (right) relationship and ended up with Stacey

Gareth had been ‘obsessed’ with weapons since he was little, Mr Train said, and the two brothers had broken off all contact with him and his late wife 23 years ago.

‘Apparently there was ammunition at the property, a whole stack of weapons… supposedly there was some type of ambush in camouflage and all this type of stuff. That seems to me…. well whether they knew the police were coming in or what. I don’t know.’

‘Gareth, he was very volatile, we had troubles with him at school’.

‘He was obsessed with guns, Nathaniel to a lesser degree, they both would go out shooting for hares and things… he was licensed (to have guns).’

In the two decades since he stopped speaking to his parents Nathaniel became a school principal at Wagga Wagga in NSW then Yorkey’s Knob in north Queensland but increasingly went ‘off-the-grid’ – so much so he was considered a missing person in the year before the bloody siege.

Before he joined his brother at the Wieambilla property they had surfaced on fringe news websites and forums spouting conspiracy theories and vitriol at police.

Gareth and Stacey raised two children in various properties in Queensland who are now in their 20s – though Daily Mail Australia understands the children were actually Nathaniel’s.

An aerial view of the scene at a property in Wieambilla where the shooting took place. Source: Nine

The three gunmen opened fire on the four attending officers at the country property before lighting a fire (above) to smoke out one of the survivors

Mr Train said he could ‘completely understand’ people saying to him that he should have raised the two brothers better.

‘But I haven’t even seen them in so long, how can I respond to that?’.

‘My heart goes out to the two young police officers… and the gentlemen shot in the back… it is horrific.’

‘There is no excuse for my boys actions at all. For what they’ve done they’ll stand before God’.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll on Wednesday said the ‘absolutely devastating’ attack was extremely emotional and challenging for Queenslanders.

Gareth and Stacey Train bought this property off real estate agent Marg Whip in February 2015

The remote area has been subdivided and sold off as cheap land and has a reputation for cannabis growing 

‘I know we are all thinking of the victims’ families who are grieving at this difficult time,’ she told reporters.

‘With honour, they served.’

Carroll held back tears as she described how she spoke with the families of McCrow and Arnold, and ‘everyone was crying’.

‘They told me the wonderful stories about their children because their children were pretty amazing,’ an emotional Carroll said.

‘We’re talking about amazing young people having wonderful careers contributing to community safety, but popular good officers, just wonderful human beings, and I think that’s what cuts the most.

‘It’s just so senseless and we’re having difficulty coming to terms with how this could be done to people who are out there every day looking after their community.’

Commissioner Carroll said she had spoken to both the surviving police officers and they were doing well considering the situation.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll (pictured) speaks to media during a press conference at Chinchilla Police station on Wednesday

Constable Kirk was set to be released from hospital on Wednesday after having shrapnel removed from his leg. 

‘I’m feeling fine, just a little sore,’ he said in a statement through the police union.

‘My main thoughts are with the other police families at this awful time.

‘It means a lot to know the community cares for us all.

‘My wife and I have a young family and would appreciate privacy as we come to terms with this.’

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said flags will fly at half-mast on government buildings across the state, while Brisbane’s Story and Victoria bridges will be lit blue and white in mourning. 

Constable Kirk had to have surgery to remove shrapnel from his body following the attack and has been reunited with his wife and child (left) Constable Keely Brough (right) 

‘Hopefully it will give the QPS family some comfort that the people of this state absolutely respect and appreciate every single thing that they do,’ she said.

‘I doubt that this will bring much comfort to the families and loved ones of those who were killed.

‘They were so young, so young, they were incredibly bright, these were absolutely callous, brutal acts.’

The attack during a routine welfare check on a missing person was ‘beyond imagination’, she said, and the sort of thing Australians usually heard about happening overseas.

‘Our hearts just go out to the young constables who lost their lives in such a tragic … it’s just … words cannot describe,’ Ms Palaszczuk said.

‘When I was hearing about this and speaking to people involved, I just couldn’t believe this was happening in our community.’

Flowers left outside Tara Police Station (pictured) where two of the four officers involved in the ambush had been posted

Australia is mourning the brave young officers Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, (pictured) who lost their lives protecting the community 

Neighbour Alan Dare (pictured with wife) was shot dead by the armed trio after he went to investigate the gunshots 

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk