Two brothers Nathaniel Train and Gareth (Gavin) Train were shot dead by police during a siege at a property in Queensland's Western Downs.
The brothers are the offenders who police say shot and killed two armed officers and neighbour Alan Dare last night at a property in Wieambilla, west of Brisbane.
Stacey Train, 45, was also killed at the scene.
Four Queensland police officers went to the property on Monday as part of a search for Nathaniel Train who was subject to a missing persons report.
The Wains Road property, where the shooting happened, is listed as being owned by Gareth and Stacey Train.
Nathaniel Train was reported to have been seen in Dubbo in December last year but had been in contact with his family as recently as October 2022.
The 46-year-old was the former principal at Walgett Community College Primary School which is about 700 kilometres north-west of Sydney.
He was the executive principal for 18 months up until August 2021 when he said he had a cardiac arrest at his desk. He then left the school.
He had previously taught in Queensland but while at Walgett had concerns about the education policy at the school.
He raised those concerns with member for One Nation NSW leader Mark Latham.
The upper house MP told NSW parliament earlier this year that Train sent 16 emails over the course of two weeks to the NSW Department of Education, outlining problems and challenges at his school and requesting assistance.
Mr Latham said Train first reached out to him over 12 months ago.
He said they never met, only spoke on the phone three or four times.
He said he emailed Train on July 6 this year and received no response.
'A mild-mannered school leader'
Nathaniel Train was also principal at the Yorkeys Knob State School in Far North Queensland in 2017.
He was described in a local media story as a "mild-mannered school leader" who decorated his beard with glitter and Christmas baubles to help raise money for the school P&C.
Barron River MP Craig Crawford said he met with the former principal half a dozen times.
"He behaved and acted like any principal I've dealt with in my electorate," Mr Crawford said.
"He certainly gave no indication he could be capable of such an unfathomably evil act."
Mr Crawford said he did not know the circumstances of Nathaniel Train's departure from the school a few years ago.
"I was completely shocked when I saw his name and face to realise this was the same person who was our principal at Yorkeys Knob.
"What happened in recent years to turn a mild-mannered educator into a murderous cop killer, as alleged?
"Everyone who had dealings with him at the school, teachers and parents and students, are all asking the same questions.
"And the big one is: 'Why?'"
"What was he hiding, what hate did he have in his heart, that he was allegedly prepared to execute police in cold blood and go down himself in a hail of bullets?"
The Queensland education department confirmed Nathaniel Train and Stacey Train were both former employees.
"Nathaniel Train voluntarily resigned from the Department in March 2020, while Stacey Train voluntarily resigned from the Department in December 2021," a department spokesperson said.
The NSW Department of Education also confirmed Nathaniel Train was employed from August last year before leaving in March this year.
"One of the deceased was a former NSW Education employee who had not been working at a NSW school since August 2021," the department said in a statement.
"He officially left our employment in March this year.
"Extra counselling will be provided at the impacted school today and for as long as staff and students require support."
