More information is being revealed about the dreadful police shooting in Wieambilla. It seems a case of Queensland police less than honest in their communication with the community re-Nathaniel Train. The ABC has reported that the younger Train brother was reported to QLD police for illegally crossing the state border from NSW and suspicious activity during the Covid lockdowns in 2021. A local resident witnessed Nathaniel Train dumping stuff into the river from his vehicle after attempting to cross the river during flooding. He reported this illegal crossing to police in QLD. These were loaded weapons, as they were found by locals later. Police were informed and collected the weapons.
A Lack Of Accountability QLD Police Service
The announcements made by the police commissioner at the time of the shootings claimed no knowledge of the perpetrators at the centre of this mass murder of police and neighbour Alan Dare. The fact that 4 young police officers were sent out on a missing person’s enquiry appeared strange to this observer. Either there was something more going on or it was a misuse of tax payer’s money through inefficiency. There are two possibilities in this terrible tragedy. QLD police are covering up what they know because of incompetence or for some more mysterious motivation. If they are going to take such an aggressive stance of controlling the narrative it is incumbent upon them to be upfront and honest with the public.
Loaded Guns & The Murderous Trains
This police force does not have a great record in regard to truthfulness with the community. Endemic racism and gender bias has been revealed by recent reports into the culture of the Queensland police force. There seems to be an attitude of ‘we are the police and whatever we say or do goes’. Quite simply the police commissioner comes across as either incredibly naïve or blatantly dishonest in her dealings with the greater community. This has been a terrible tragic event but it does not excuse poor policing. Rather it conveys the urgent need for serious overhaul at the top and a new broom through the force.
Incompetence Or Something More?
The police are there to protect the community from threats such as those of right wing terrorism embodied by the Trains in the Western Downs. The fact that loaded guns were found and reported to police but nothing seems to have been done about this is worrying indeed. The fact that it ended in such a horrible tragedy is a very tough lesson to learn in hindsight. Queensland Police have told the ABC ‘no comment’ while various reviews take place. This organisation has used this tragedy to invoke a lot of sympathy from the public, if it turns out that incompetence is at the heart of this matter – involving guns – there will be a big backlash. This is a gun death and guns kill people. Crazy people with guns kill at lot more people than crazies without them. Has Australia lost its vigilance around guns? Have we forgotten about The Port Arthur massacre?
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