"Peter has been trying to hold it together for a long time. He's just thought ... I can't live any more, so this is it for me. But I need to take out everyone because that will fix the whole problem and he's fixed the whole problem." Mr Cockman said the Miles family had struggled ever since learning that Neil Miles, Peter and Cynda's son and Katrina's brother, "had kidney problems". Aaron Cockman, the grief-stricken father of four children who were shot dead on a West Australian farm on Friday. Credit:James Brickwood It is understood Neil is awaiting a kidney transplant. He is one of two sons to the Osmington couple. A third son is understood to have taken his own life about 10 years ago. "I thought if something happens to Neil, Kat will not survive this one, she will not be able to lose another brother ... I didn't think about Cynda and Peter. There's no way possible he [could] lose another son."

Mr Cockman arrives at his press conference in Margaret River on Sunday. Loading Mr Cockman's decision to address the media so openly was a shock to police, who said he "insisted" on making the statement and waiting until all media crews in Margaret River had arrived before he spoke. Asked if he had felt victimised by the Margaret River community, which had been swift to point the finger at him in the days following the incident, Mr Cockman said people "can say what they want". "I've lost everything in my life ... People's opinions, whatever."

In the emotional address, Mr Cockman said he believed his former father-in-law had been "thinking this through for a long time". Loading "All these kids died peacefully in their beds. The [police officer] that went through, he said they looked all peaceful. How the hell Peter did that I still can't figure out, but if someone did it ... he did a good job, he did a really good job. "If someone was going to do it, I trust he did it right and he did it right. "The kids went to sleep and now they are nothing."

Mr Cockman visited the hobby farm in Osmington on Sunday morning, but did not pass beyond the gate. He said police had described the stages of the mass shooting. "He [Peter Miles] went across, shot Kat and the kids first [in their beds], shot Cynda in the living room. Cynda probably got up, heard the gun shots. Then he sent a triple zero call," he said. "In that call he would have been saying about ... I'm guessing, not being able to handle it if something happened to Neil, I'm sure that's in the call." While Mr Cockman believes the Miles family's own struggles were the catalyst for the alleged murder-suicide, he said he had experienced his own battles with the family, including over the custody of his children since his divorce from Ms Miles. "I've had so much anger ... ever since I was cut off from my kids for six months. That was due to Peter and Cynda," he said.

"I used to drive around town just hoping to see them ... but that anger I felt is gone. I don't feel angry. I feel tremendous sadness for my kids." Mr Cockman said Mr Miles was "an awesome man, before this all blew up. He was like my best friend. I still love who he was, but his mental attitude ... There are some people you just don't want to get on the wrong side of. That's Peter and Cynda." He said he found peace in knowing that the children had been asleep when the shooting occurred. "I don't know how he did it so well though; none of the kids were up out of their beds. They were all really peaceful and calm. When I heard that, the best feeling came over me." Mr Cockman said he had been supported by his family and his faith.

"I've got an awesome, powerful strong family," he said. "They get their strength from Jehovah and so do I." Loading Earlier on Sunday, Mr Cockman visited an idyllic bush chapel to lay flowers in memory of his family. West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has met grieving residents of the Margaret River community. He said the deaths were "one of the worst tragedies WA has ever seen" and "something all of us feel very keenly and very deeply".

"I expect the grieving process will go on for many years for that family," he said. He thanked everyone who was assisting in the aftermath of the shootings and offered his commiserations to those who had "endured the unendurable". The incident would be "talked about for many years to come" and all West Australians were thinking of the family, he said. Peter Miles (second from left), his wife, Cynda (back right), their daughter Katrina (left), and her four children, Taye, Rylan, Ayre and Kadyn. Mr McGowan said Australia served as an example for the rest of world "that you have to have very careful and strict gun laws".

He said in this case it appeared the guns were licensed. "It was a farming property. There is not much else I can see from the outside could have been done," he said. The West Australian government would await the coroner’s inquiry, he said. Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said he did not intend to release the triple zero call made by a man from the property. Loading

He said there was "not much I would add" to the comments he had already made but forensic procedures were continuing alongside investigative and analytical work. "I’m not going to put a timeframe on that," Mr Dawson said. He offered his thanks to the police officers who first attended this "difficult and challenging job". On Saturday, Commissioner Dawson confirmed three long-arm firearms were recovered at the property, all of which were licensed to Peter Miles. "I wish to strongly emphasise police do not believe any other person is involved with these crimes. Police are not searching for any other suspect," Commissioner Dawson said.