Police officers who were shot and killed on a regional Queensland property were searching for a New South Wales man last seen by his family almost a year ago, Guardian Australia understands.
Three people were shot dead by tactical police late on Monday night, ending a six-hour standoff that followed the apparent ambush-style killings of two uniformed officers and a member of the public on a remote Queensland property.
The shooting came after four officers attended the remote property at Wieambilla in the Western Downs region on Monday in connection with the disappearance of Nathaniel Train, 46, from Dubbo in NSW.
Train had been living in the NSW town of Walgett, where he was recently working as the principal of the local community primary school.
The NSW parliament heard that in March this year, Train sent 16 emails over the course of two weeks to the NSW Department of Education outlining problems and challenges at the school, and requesting assistance.
A statement by NSW police issued five days ago said that Train had been in contact with family members in October, but that they had been unable to contact him recently and held “serious concerns” for his welfare.
Sources say the Queensland officers, from Tara, went to the Wieambilla property at the request of NSW police. The Queensland police union says the inquiry was “routine” until unknown people at the property began shooting at officers.
It is not known whether Train was at the property.
The Queensland police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, on Tuesday confirmed Train had not seen his family since 2021, but recently had stopped all contact with them.
“That contact was lost in recent days and they just wanted to check on that missing person,” she said.
Two of the officers, constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, were killed and a third officer was injured and taken to hospital.
Another person, a 58-year-old neighbour, was also killed.
About six hours later, the incident ended when three suspects, two men and a woman, were killed by tactical police.
Train is understood to have previously worked as a principal in north Queensland.
The Queensland police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, on Monday night described the deaths of two officers as “devastating news”.
“Those officers paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep our community safe. It is, sadly, a reminder of the unpredictable nature of policing and the incredible dangers our officers face while protecting our community.”
Addressing the media Carroll described the deaths of two officers as “devastating”.
She said she had been to the property that morning to look at the “confronting” scene.
“I’ve got to say, from what I have seen, they didn’t stand a chance,” she said. “The fact that two got out alive is a miracle.”
The president of the Queensland police union, Ian Leavers, wrote to members overnight saying the killings were “needless” and “senseless”.
“We are all in a state of shock and disbelief. To be here tonight and know that two brave police, both under the age of 30, have needlessly lost their lives affects all our emotions,” Leavers said.
“To know that she and he are no longer with us in what was a ruthless, calculated and targeted execution of our colleagues and loved ones brings home the very real risks that we face every single day doing our jobs.”
