Gareth and Stacey Train recorded and uploaded a video to YouTube on after killing three people. Image / YouTube
Kerry Dare, whose husband was gunned down by her neighbours Stacey, Gareth and Nathaniel Train in a horrifying massacre in Wieambilla, Queensland has opened up about the ordeal.
Dare’s husband Alan Dare was tragically killed by the deadly trio when he went to check out a fire at their property.
Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McGrow were also sadly murdered that day, and Constable Keeley Brough and Constable Randall Kirk, both 28, only just managed to survive.
The Courier Mail has reported Dare explained that despite the horror that happened, she still doesn’t see the trio as terrorists.
When a reporter put the police’s claim that the trio were religiously motivated terrorists, she said “that’s crap”.
“They were just neighbours. That couple used to wave to me for two years at the letterbox,” she explained.
Dare also firmly believes her husband’s death wasn’t planned by the trio.
“They weren’t there to kill Al – they were there to kill the police,” she said.
Her words come after Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Tracy Linford said investigators had concluded the killer trio had “acted as an autonomous cell: to carry out their ‘religiously-motivated terrorist attack’”.
Social media posts by the killers have also revealed they came to see police as “monsters and demons” before they carried out their terror attack in the remote Queensland town.
After committing the murders, Gareth and wife Stacey posted a video where they showed no remorse.
“They came to kill us and we killed them. If you don’t defend yourself against these devils and demons, you’re a coward,” they said.
Dare also made it clear that she doesn’t blame Stacey and Nathaniel’s daughter.
“I just let her know that it wasn’t her fault. It’s not her fault any of this happened … I don’t believe it was Stacey’s fault either … but I wouldn’t say [Stacey] was innocent, not at all,” she said.
Interestingly, Dare’s words come after police confirmed Stacey did play a role in the tragic massacre.
Her husband Alan has been awarded a posthumous Bravery Medal by the Queensland Police Service.
Bombshell diary reveals cop killers’ motive
Diary entries and social media posts by the Train family revealed they came to believe police were “monsters and demons” before carrying out Australia’s first religiously motivated terror attack.
Last month, Linford told media while the investigation into the attack was “far from” complete, exhaustive evidence had been collected.
That included entries in Stacey Train’s diary, texts and emails sent by the trio, social media posts and a whopping 190 statements and recorded interviews. CCTV taken from the property and video from body cams worn by the four police officers has also been examined.
Linford said investigators had concluded the Train family had “acted as an autonomous cell: to carry out their ‘religiously-motivated terrorist attack’”.
The investigation found the trio subscribed to the Christian extremist ideology of premillennialism.
“Christian extremist ideology has been linked to other attacks around the world, but this is the first time we’ve seen it in Australia,” Linford said.
“We absolutely believe they acted as an autonomous cell, but one of our inquiries is that they did make social media postings and there were people in the US who did monitor those ... and make responses.”
Other similar religiously motivated attacks linked to Christian extremist ideologies include the 51-day Waco siege in Texas in 1993.
Linford explained the Train family’s “fundamentalist Christian theology” was based on premillennialism, the belief Jesus will return to the Earth, bringing a lengthy period of peace after a period of trial and tribulation.
She said there was a lot of written evidence that all three members of the Train family believed the “end of days” was coming and were preparing for what was to come.
Diary entries show the extent of planning
The Train family felt the aforementioned period of turbulence had arrived, based on beliefs surrounding their distrust in police and state, climate change, the pandemic, global conflicts and social disparity.
“[In] all of the examinations of the material, we can’t find any evidence they identify themselves as sovereign citizens,” Linford said.
Stacey’s diary entries and other written evidence examined included multiple references to police where they were referred to as “monsters and demons”.
“We don’t believe this attack was random or spontaneous, we do believe it was an attack directed at police,” Linford said.
“There’s entries for the last couple of years in [Stacey’s] diary.
“It’s not just one thing - there appears to be a range of catalyst events. For instance, Nathaniel experienced a heart attack in August 2021.
“I think that was a profound moment for him and his belief in God, and he’s certainly become more religious as a consequence of that event.
“Certainly, Covid was another catalyst for them.
“They certainly had their views around anti-vaccination and a consequential anti-government sentiment.”
Linford said an examination of the Wieambilla property found man-made dirt mounds, steel barriers, mirrors on trees, three compound bows and arrows, a number of knives and six firearms.
She said the Train family were using radios to communicate with each other during the attack and even had a trap door under the house ready for a possible escape.
“We can see well-worn tracks between the hides. That gives us an indication they hadn’t just [created them],” Linford said.
“If we look at things they’ve written in the diaries and notes, it would indicate it’s been some time.”
She said the trio acted alone in their attack, but investigations continued overseas.
“I want to stress that there is no evidence at this time that there’s anyone else in Australia that participated or assisted in this attack,” she said.
Police search for Nathaniel
Nathaniel had been reported missing by his estranged wife in New South Wales (NSW).
Police had also issued a warrant for his arrest in connection to alleged firearm offences after he left guns he owned abandoned while trying to illegally cross the border from NSW into Queensland.
Linford said an investigation into his whereabouts had been handed over to Chinchilla police, with one officer attending Gareth and Stacey’s property to find Nathaniel.
“[The Train family] had become aware that Nathaniel had been reported as a missing person. They were also aware that police had been trying to locate him in relation to the firearms offences,” she said.
“I don’t think there’s any question that they would have known that at some point in time, police were coming, but whether or not they would have anticipated that it would have specifically been that day, we wouldn’t say that.
“The way they had set their property up, there were clear indications they had done a lot of planning.”
Linford said none of the trio had a criminal history that could lead police to be suspicious of any planned attack.
“This is not Nathaniel’s address,” she said.
“In fact, we can see [from reading Stacey’s diary] Nathaniel wasn’t actually residing at the address, he might have been somewhere nearby and camping.
“He didn’t have any criminal history. This was a fella who was a principal of a high school. He had no other criminal history.
“I think he had a driving offence from several years ago, but there was nothing to indicate to those officers that day that they were going to be ambushed.
“We’ve taken statements from a range of the Train family members and maintained contact with them.
“It’s helped us glean a lot of information about their ideology and things leading up to the months and weeks before this occurred.”
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