>
The stepson of the brave neighbor shot dead by paranoid conspiracy theorists after being caught in the crossfire of the siege of Wieambila has paid tribute to his selfless stepfather, describing him as a hero.
Corey Richards, 29, said his stepfather, Alan Dare, raised and supported him from the moment he came into his life as just a five-year-old boy.
Dare, 58, rushed from his Wieambilla home on Monday afternoon to investigate a neighboring property when he saw smoke and heard gunshots.
He could not know that the shots came from Gareth Train, his wife Stacey and Gareth’s brother Nathaniel engaged in a brutal shootout with the police.
Mr Dare was viciously shot in the back, 150 yards from the house, when he went to try to help Mr Richards saying he was not surprised his stepfather had rushed.
The stepson of the fearlessly brave Alan Dare, Corey Richards (pictured), described his stepfather as someone who would ‘help anyone and everyone’ after his death in the recent siege of Wieambilla.
“He went to help the neighbors because he thought there was a fire and he heard banging like the house was on fire,” Richards said. 7News.
He went downstairs to investigate and must have realized something was up because the smoke wasn’t coming out of the house.
“The last time there was a fire, his own car got stuck and he almost burned himself trying to save two of his neighbors.”
Richards said her stepfather was always willing to help.
‘He would help anyone and everyone… [and] he never asked for anything in return,’ he said.
Richards said her mother hadn’t left Dare’s side in 26 years and was “lost”.
Alan Dare (right) with his wife Kerry: the couple were due to celebrate their 26th wedding anniversary
Mr. Dare (pictured above) left his property after hearing gunshots and seeing smoke nearby on Monday. He took him to the train property of Gareth and Stacy and Gareth’s brother, Nathanial, where Mr. Dare was shot in the back and died at the scene around 4:30pm.
Four police officers had gone to the property on Monday afternoon seeking information on Nathaniel, who was reported missing in New South Wales more than a year ago.
The smoke Mr Dare saw was from the three trains burning the bush in an attempt to ‘smoke out’ and kill a hiding police officer.
Mr Dare was one of three people killed by the trains, along with police officers Constables Rachel McCrow, 29, and Matthew Arnold, 26.
Gareth, Nathanial, and Stacy Train were killed by police after a prolonged shootout around 11:30 p.m. that night.
Nathaniel and Stacey Train (pictured left and right) married in 1995
Later, Gareth Train ran off with Stacey, and the three of them went on their murderous rampage on Monday.
‘[Mr Dare] I was doing the right thing to investigate and help somebody,’ Queensland Police Union president Ian Leaver said at a news conference on Tuesday.
A GoFundMe organized by the Western Edge Fire Service for Mr. Dare’s widow, Kerry, has raised more than $60,000 in donations, more than double the original goal of $25,000.
Many donors wrote tributes to Mr. Dare and messages of support for the bereaved family.
RIP, Mr. Allan Dare. A true Australian legend. My sincere condolences to family and friends on the painful loss of him,” one donor wrote.
‘No words will ease the pain your loved ones feel from your loss at the hands of pure evil. You will always be remembered as a hero. Ok Alan Dare’ wrote another.
A team of 16 police officers rushed to the scene and killed Train’s murderous trio at 11:30 p.m. (Pictured police next to a burned-out vehicle on Train property the day after the siege)