After a six-hour standoff that began after two uniformed cops and a member of the public were killed on an isolated Queensland property in what appeared to be an ambush-style attack, three persons were shot dead by tactical police late on Monday night.
To look for a missing person, four Tara police were dispatched to the property in Wieambilla, in the Western Downs region, around 270 kilometers west of Brisbane.
About 4.45 pm, two of those officers, both in their 20s, were shot and murdered shortly after they arrived. The shooting has been referred to by the Queensland Police Union as “a vicious, deliberate, and targeted execution of our officers.”
While the fourth policeman managed to depart the scene and was undergoing treatment, a second police officer was hurt.
Another individual was slain, who was reportedly a neighbor. Unverified sources said the shooters were covered in camouflage.
The incident was put to an end around six hours later when tactical police murdered three suspects—two men and a woman.
The Queensland police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, stated in a statement prior to the resolution that the deaths of two officers were “devastating news.”
Carroll declared, “We are a company in grief tonight.
The wounded cop, according to Carroll, was being treated for a “bullet graze” and was hospitalized.
Regarding the victim of the shooting, no other information was given.
Carroll added, “While we still don’t know the entire scope of what happened today, we do know this event is very distressing on many levels.
“Those officers gave their lives in the line of duty to protect our neighborhood. Sadly, it serves as a reminder of the unexpected nature of law enforcement and the grave risks our officers take on to keep our community safe.
In a letter to members sent tonight, Queensland Police Union President Ian Leavers referred to the killings as “needless” and “senseless.”
“Our collective shock and astonishment are palpable. All of our emotions are affected by being in this place tonight and learning that two heroic officers, both under the age of 30, have tragically lost their lives.
“Knowing that she and he are no longer with us after what was a cruel, planned, and precise execution of our coworkers and loved ones drives home the very real risks that we face every single day doing our jobs,” the author writes.
We Queensland police commemorate and honor these officers because their lives were brutally cut short for one reason and one reason only: performing their duties.
The police officers who reacted were from the adjacent towns of Tara and Chinchilla, according to Paul McVeigh, mayor of the Western Downs Regional Council.
According to McVeigh, “it’s an absolute tragedy in our community.” “It is an utter tragedy when two young police officers are shot and killed.”
Anthony Albanese added that the deaths of the Queensland police officers who were killed in the line of duty were a devastating loss for their loved ones.
The prime minister tweeted, “My condolences to all who are grieving tonight – Australia mourns with you.”
The incident affected the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, a former Queensland police officer.
Deeply upsetting news about the deceased police officers in western Queensland was reported by him tonight. To protect us from it, police officers must face risk every day.
Queensland’s premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, called the fatalities a “terrible tragedy,” while Mark Ryan, the state’s police minister, said the killings had crushed Queenslanders’ hearts.
“Our community is experiencing a painful, upsetting, and devastating event.
“The Queensland police service lost two heroes tonight, and I offer my deepest sympathies to their family, friends, and coworkers as well as the whole police family.”
