Fugitive gunman Dezi Freeman has been shot dead by police in Victoria’s north-east, bringing an end to a months-long manhunt linked to the killing of two police officers.
Victoria Police confirmed Freeman was shot shortly after 8.30 am on Monday at a property in the region, with no officers injured during the operation.
The 56-year-old had been on the run since August last year following the fatal shooting of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart at Porepunkah.
The two officers were killed while executing a warrant at Freeman’s property, an incident that shocked the state and triggered a massive search across the rugged terrain of Mount Buffalo National Park.
Freeman, who had identified with the anti-authority “sovereign citizen” movement, fled into dense bushland immediately after the shooting, prompting one of Victoria’s most extensive manhunts in recent years. The search spanned steep, remote terrain filled with caves and mineshafts, with police combing through more than 100 properties and deploying specialist units, including cadaver dogs.
At the time, the Porepunkah community was placed into lockdown, with residents told to stay indoors as police attempted to locate the armed fugitive. Despite repeated search efforts and public appeals, Freeman remained at large for months, with authorities later suggesting there was a “strong possibility” he may have died in the wilderness.
Monday’s fatal police shooting marks the first confirmed sighting of Freeman since he fled.
Victoria Police said the Professional Standards Command will oversee an investigation into the incident, with the state coroner also expected to attend the scene.
Victorian government minister Sonya Kilkenny described the situation as still unfolding, saying the focus remained on those affected by the earlier tragedy.
She said,
“The main thing is that our thoughts, our concerns and our support are with the Porepunkah community and, of course, the families of the two police officers killed in that tragic incident almost six months ago.”
For those close to the fallen officers, the news brought a sense of closure.
John Bird, a close friend of Senior Constable Thompson, said while nothing could undo the loss, Freeman’s death marked an end to a long and painful chapter.
“It’s a good day,” he said.
“It doesn’t change, Thommo, but it is a good day because at least the person who caused it is not drawing breath anymore.
“It’s just a relief. Like I said, it doesn’t change anything much, but it is closure on that side of things.”
A spokesperson for the Police Association Victoria said the development was “a step forward”, though it would not erase the trauma experienced by officers and the wider community.
“It doesn’t lessen the trauma, give back the futures that were callously stolen or lessen the collective fear and grief that this tragic event has instilled in police and the wider public,” the spokesperson said.
Residents near the scene described a heavy police presence on Monday morning, with roads blocked as officers secured the area.
Ashley Drummond, who was travelling nearby, said he was stopped by police along Murray River Road as the operation unfolded.
“They were in front of me with their vehicle across the road and they were just sort of standing there, I guess, stopping any traffic that was going to try and go down,” he said.
He added it was surprising Freeman had been located so far from where the initial shooting occurred.
“Given how far away from where he originally was, yeah, it’s a strange location to be.”
Freeman’s death closes a major chapter in a case that deeply affected Victoria Police and the broader community, though investigations into Monday’s shooting are ongoing.
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