Six people killed in suspected ambush in Australia

Six people including two police officers have been killed in a suspected ambush in Australia.

The ambush took place at a remote property in Wieambilla - 270km (168 miles) west of Brisbane, in the north-eastern state of Queensland.

According to police, they had been searching for a missing person and after a long siege, the three suspects were fatally shot by police.

According to reports, police officers went to the property to search for the missing person. Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, and Constable Rachel McCrow, 29, were shot dead as they approached and another officer suffered a "bullet graze". The fourth escaped without physical injury.

The uninjured officer was able to find cover and call for help. The suspects then lit a fire to try and draw her out.

Specialist officers later arrived, took over the operation and killed the suspects.

A neighbour was also killed by the suspects after he went to the property to investigate.

The suspects have been identified as Nathaniel Train, 46, a former school principal who was the reported missing person police were checking on and his brother Gareth Train, 47, and Gareth's wife Stacey Train, 45.

Queensland police commissioner Katarina Carroll said: "Those officers did not stand a chance. The fact that two got out alive is a miracle" and described the attack as an "unimaginable tragedy".

Authorities said the motive remains unclear. The Guardian has reported that Gareth Train had contributed to online forums which promoted conspiracy theories, and had shown a distrust of police and claimed the country's deadliest mass shooting was a government ploy to disarm Australians.

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