Wieambilla shooting: Australia lights landmarks blue to honour Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold

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Australian landmarks light up in blue in honour of cops killed in a shooting by conspiracy theorist gunmen

  • Brisbane and Cairns lit their major landmarks in a deep blue on Tuesday night
  • Lights were to honour Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow, both killed Monday 
  • Mr Arnold and Ms McCrow were two of four officers sent to a Wieambilla home
  • They were searching for missing man Nathaniel Train but were met with gunfire
  • Sydney will light the Opera House blue on Wednesday in a tribute to their deaths 

Major landmarks around Queensland have been lit up in blue to honour the two police officers who lost their lives in a horror rural shootout.

Brisbane lit up its Story Bridge and Parliament House on Tuesday night in memory of officers Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, who died while on a search operation at a rural property in Wieambilla, three hours west of Brisbane, on Monday.

They were part of a team of four sent to look for missing man Nathaniel Train but their party was met with a hail of bullets upon entering the property.

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Neighbour, Alan Dare, was also shot and killed at about 5pm after coming over to the property to investigate the noise.

Wieambilla shooting: Australia lights landmarks blue to honour Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold

Brisbane lit its Story Bridge blue (above) on Tuesday night to honour deceased police officers Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29

Cairns also lit major landmarks (above) following a shootout in rural Wieambilla which killed six, including two police officers and a neighbour

Cairns also lit major landmarks (above) following a shootout in rural Wieambilla which killed six, including two police officers and a neighbour

Surviving officers Keeley Brough, 28, and Randall Kirk, 28, were treated at Chinchilla Hospital following the attack. 

Cairns also lit up its major landmarks in blue on Tuesday night to commemorate the two officers killed in the gunfire.

Sydney’s Opera House will follow on Wednesday night with NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet saying the tribute serves as an honour to all officers.

‘Our hearts go out to the families of those police officers who lost their lives – it is an unbearable tragedy to lose a family member and for two young lives to be cut short so suddenly,’ Perrottet said.

‘By lighting the sails blue tonight, we show that we are standing alongside the people of Queensland and giving an opportunity for people across our state and the country to recognise the risks our policemen and women take every day to keep our community safe.’

Officers entered the property to search from Nathaniel Train (above) but Train - alongside his brother and sister and law - opened fire on them

Officers entered the property to search from Nathaniel Train (above) but Train – alongside his brother and sister and law – opened fire on them

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

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

Nathaniel Train, his brother Gareth and sister-in-law Stacey opened fire on the four officers sent to search the Wieambilla property on Monday.

Mr Arnold and Ms McCrow were fatally shot at close range before the gunmen stole their weapons.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll told reporters on Tuesday morning it was clear ‘those officers did not stand a chance’. 

Policeman Randall Kirk was shot in the leg but managed to escape and seek medical help. 

Sydney's Opera House (above) will be lit in blue on Wednesday night in an act NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet says will honour all serving police officers

Sydney’s Opera House (above) will be lit in blue on Wednesday night in an act NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet says will honour all serving police officers

Rachel McCrow (above) was fatally shot during a search operation on Monday

Matthew Arnold (above) was shot and killed during a search for Nathaniel Train on Monday

Rachel McCrow (left) and Matthew Arnold (right) were fatally shot during a search operation on Monday

Other attending female officer Keeley Brough was forced to run and hide in surrounding bushland which gunmen then set fire to in an attempt to smoke her out. 

She was later rescued by a specialist team of 16 officers.

By 6pm police had declared an emergency declaration zone encompassing the area between Chinchilla Tara Rd, Wieambilla Rd, Bennetts School Rd and Mary St.

At 2am, Queensland Police confirmed two men and a woman – Nathaniel Train, his brother Gareth and a female partner – had been killed by officers at 10.30pm.

WIEAMBILLA SHOOTING TIMELINE 

Monday 4.30pm: Four officers attended a property on Wains Road at Wieambilla as part of inquiries into a missing school principal Nathaniel Train, 46, last seen in Dubbo in central-west NSW a year ago.

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4.30-5pm: Two gunmen dressed in camo, Nathaniel Train and his brother opened fire as police ­approached the house.

Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, and his colleague Rachel McCrow, 29, were shot at close range and hit the ground. The gunmen stood over the injured officers and shot them dead before taking their Glock pistols. Neighbour Alan Dare was also shot dead.

After 5pm: A third officer shot in the leg who managed to escape is taken to the local hospital. A fourth who fled into surrounding bushland is later rescued by a specialist police tactical team.

6pm: Police declare an emergency declaration zone encompassing the area between Chinchilla Tara Rd, Wieambilla Rd, Bennetts School Rd, and Mary Street.

After 6pm: Sporadic gunfire was reported by locals throughout the night

10.30pm: Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll pays tribute to the killed officers in an emotional press conference.

11.30pm: Nathaniel Train and his brother, along with the brother’s female partner are shot dead following shootout with Special Emergency Response Team police.

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