The senior officer tasked with bringing the chaos of the Wieambilla police shootings under control is due to give evidence at a coronial inquest.
Six people including two police officers were killed at a remote Queensland property on December 12, 2022, after an arrest warrant turned into an ambush by concealed shooters with high-powered rifles.
Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were shot dead at 4.37pm as they walked with another two officers up a driveway leading to the property of Gareth Train and his wife Stacey intending to locate Nathaniel Train.
State Coroner Terry Ryan previously heard that then-Inspector Wayne Rasmussen was assigned the role of Forward Commander at 4.47pm after reports of two officers being shot and likely killed.
Rasmussen is due to give evidence today in the Brisbane Coroners Court for the fourth day of the five-week inquest.
Queensland Police Acting Superintendent Timothy Mowle deployed Rasmussen to a forward command post established near the incident scene.
Counsel assisting Ruth O’Gorman previously told the coroner both senior officers would “give evidence of critical decisions made that evening” today.
Rasmussen approved a rescue mission for Constable Keely Brough as she was in danger of being shot or burned to death by a fire lit by the Trains to flush her out.
During Rasmussen’s command, Wieambilla resident Alan Dare was shot dead by the Trains after he went to investigate the fire.
Dare’s wife Kerry told Ryan yesterday Rasmussen was the officer who confirmed her husband was dead.
Rasmussen handed over command of the scene to the Police Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) at 9.05pm.
By 10.41pm, all three Trains had been fatally shot by SERT officers after they refused to negotiate and fired on police helicopters and an armoured vehicle.
