The family of two police officers who were killed in the Wieambilla shootings have delivered powerful final statements to the inquest into their deaths. They told the court the 5-week inquiry has been emotionally draining and left them with more questions than answers.
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00:00Tears, hugs and anger. That's how the families of two slain police constables have coped
00:09after being confronted with harrowing details about their loved one's final moments.
00:15We desperately miss Matt and Rachel. The pain is so excruciating and unimaginable. It is
00:20with us every breath and every step we take. The process has been extremely traumatic.
00:26Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were ripped from their families by a crazed trio while
00:31responding to a routine job at a William Biller property in December 2022.
00:37Gareth Nathaniel and Stacey Train were psychotic and paranoid religious extremists and thought
00:43police were demons. And when four officers entered their bush block, they unleashed with
00:49high-powered weapons. Their neighbour, Alan Dare, was caught up in the deadly attack.
00:55A good Samaritan unknowingly walked into danger and was also murdered.
01:01A wide-ranging inquest into their deaths and those of the killers, who were later taken
01:05out by specialist police, has explored a number of issues. But the in-depth probe hasn't given
01:11some closure.
01:13While the inquest exposed the evil acts which brutally ended Matt and Rachel's hopes and
01:18ambitions, it also highlighted serious operational failings that we believe could have prevented
01:25this tragedy.
01:26On the final day of the hearing, lawyers gave lengthy closing submissions, telling the court
01:31there were some missed opportunities. The families of those who died were all invited
01:37to address the inquest directly.
01:39Mr Dare's stepson decided not to read his prepared statement, telling the court he didn't
01:44see the point. He told the coroner things clearly needed to change and he and his family
01:50just wanted to be left alone.
01:52The coroner now has the difficult task of trying to determine how such an unthinkable
01:58crime took place and whether anything similar could be prevented.
02:03What I want to see is some good, solid recommendations from the coroner.
02:08Matt and Rachel's deaths must not be in vain.