Six people, including two young police officers, were shot and killed at a property in rural Australia after officers who arrived to investigate reports of a missing person were ambushed, authorities said Tuesday.
As per international media reports, police said the violence began about 4:45 p.m. Monday when four officers arrived at a remote property in Queensland state.
At least two heavily armed shooters opened fire on the officers at the rural property in Wieambilla, authorities said. Police returned fire but two officers were critically injured and died at the scene, and a neighbor was also killed during the firefight, police said.
In that initial confrontation, a third officer was grazed by a bullet while the fourth escaped, Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said. She said it was a miracle that two officers had survived and that one was able to raise the alarm.
“In my view, the officers didn’t stand a chance, and I don’t know how two got out alive,” Carroll said after visiting the scene. She said the officers were shot in an exposed area in front of the house.
Police identified the officers who were killed as Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29. Arnold was sworn in as an officer in 2020 and McCrow in 2021.
