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By HARRY CLARKE
THE Caller can reveal one of the gunmen behind the terrifying fatal shooting of two police officers on Queensland’s Western Downs late yesterday was a man wanted by New South Wales police who’d last week been reported missing from his home at Dubbo.
Nathaniel Train, 46, was among three armed assailants killed last night by Specialist Emergency Response Team (SERT) police on a property at Weiambilla, south of Chinchilla, where they’d earlier shot dead two junior Queensland police officers and a civilian neighbour in a “ruthless, calculated and targeted execution”.
Violence unfolded on the rural block at the end of Wains Rd shortly after 4pm when four young officers from the Tara and Chinchilla police stations were following up on Nathaniel Train’s missing persons report issued by NSW Police.
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Two officers – a 26-year-old male and a 29-year-old female – were shot dead at close range as they approached the dwelling on the property. A civilian neighbour of the property was also shot and killed.
Another male officer received what Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll described as a “bullet graze” to the leg and ran to safety. He’s being treated at Chinchilla Hospital.
A fourth, female officer ran for cover and hid in bushland on the property.
The Caller has been told the surviving female officer used her mobile phone to call Triple 0 and raise the alarm while hiding from the shooters, telling the emergency call-taker that “she thought she was going to die”.
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There are reports two male shooters wearing camouflage gear initially opened fire on the four officers, and proceeded to stand over the two fallen officers and fire further shots at close range before taking their weapons.
By 5pm dozens of police and ambulance, as well as Polair and Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) police, swarmed the scene as a major manhunt unfolded.
Fires were lit at the Wieambilla property during a shootout and shots were fired at Polair before the two male gunmen and a female shooter were gunned down by SERT police.
All three, including Nathaniel Train, were killed.
The Caller has confirmed the property was owned by Nathaniel Train’s brother, Gareth Train, and Gareth’s wife, Stacey Train, however it is yet not confirmed whether Gareth and Stacey Train were the two others killed alongside Nathaniel.
EARLIER:
Condolences to the police’s family and friends.