Dezi Freeman shot dead by police after seven-month-long manhunt

Dezi Freeman has been shot dead after a months-long manhunt since he allegedly killed two police officers in Porepunkah in Victoria in August. Photograph: Bruce Evans/Facebook View image in fullscreen Dezi Freeman has been shot dead after a months-long manhunt since he allegedly killed two police officers in Porepunkah in Victoria in August. Photograph: Bruce Evans/Facebook Dezi Freeman shot dead by police after seven-month manhunt Victoria police commissioner Mike Bush said the shooting was ‘justified’ and brought closure to the families of two police officers allegedly killed by Freeman in Porepunkah in August Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Fugitive Dezi Freeman, the man allegedly responsible for the shooting deaths of two officers at Porepunkah, has been killed after a seven-month manhunt in rural Victoria. The Victoria police chief commissioner, Mike Bush, confirmed a man was fatally shot by police shortly after 8.30am on Monday, after an hours-long standoff in which he failed to surrender peacefully at a property at Thologolong in the state’s north-east. Bush would not confirm the man was Freeman but said police believed it was and that the shooting concluded Operation Summit, the investigation into Freeman’s actions. He also said it brought closure to the families of the slain police officers. “Whilst it’s being reported that person is Desmond Freeman, we have to run through a very formal identification process,” Bush said. “So Victoria police, at this stage, will not confirm the identity of that person until that process has been undertaken. “Whilst there will be a professional standards command and a coroner’s hearing into this matter, everything I know at this point tells me that this shooting was justified.” Speaking at Thologolong later on Monday, Bush said Freeman left the building he was staying in with something similar to a blanket cloaking his shoulders, before he “presented” a gun to police. Multiple officers from the special operations group then fired on Freeman. “The deceased was given every opportunity to resolve this peacefully, and did not take that option,” Bush said. “I have seen video of the deceased leaving the building and presenting a firearm at our officers … that action took away any discretion our officers had to resolve this peacefully. “Everyone wanted this to end peacefully, everyone wanted closure, unfortunately we only have one of those two things.” He said police arrived at the property about 5.30am, but had been surveilling it for some hours beforehand. Freeman was shot about 8.30am. View image in fullscreen Victoria police chief commissioner Mike Bush speaks to reporters at the scene in Thologolong. Photograph: James Ross/AAP Freeman was alone on the rural property, in what Bush described as “a cross between a [shipping] container and a very long caravan”. Police were investigating when Freeman left the Porepunkah area and whether he was aided, with Bush saying he was “sure some” people assisted him. “We will conduct an investigation to see if others have been complicit and aiding him, not just in getting out of the area but supporting him whilst he’s been on the run,” Bush said. Bush said establishing how Freeman came to be at the property was central to police investigations. “We will track backwards from here to work out how long he’s been here, and who helped him to be here,” Bush said. Timeline The Porepunkah shooting and Dezi Freeman manhunt Show Police had been searching for Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby, since 26 August when he allegedly shot and killed Det Leading Sen Const Neal Thompson, 59, and Sen Const Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 35, and injured a third officer at a property in Porepunkah. The two police officers had been part of a group of 10 police – made up of local officers and members of the sexual offences and child abuse investigation team – who entered the property, about 210km north-east of Melbourne, on 26 August to serve a search warrant before allegedly being fired upon by Freeman. Freeman, a 56-year-old with a history of association with pseudolaw or “sovereign citizen” ideology, allegedly fled into the bush heavily armed, and a high-profile manhunt began. Bush said the “very first people” to be notified of the shooting on Monday were the families of Thompson and De Waart-Hottart and the other police officers involved in the operation on 26 August. “Should it be confirmed that the deceased is Freeman, this brings closure to what was a tragic and terrible event,” he said. View image in fullscreen The scene where fugitive Dezi Freeman was shot dead in Thologolong. Photograph: James Ross/AAP Bush said the investigation was in its “early days” – he would not confirm if a tip-off from members of the public helped police find the property, or if this week was the first sign of the fugitive since he disappeared. Police were still investigating whether the owners of the property had a prior connection to Freeman and detectives would speak to “everyone in that environment”, Bush said. Bush said the search for Freeman was the “most considerable investment in police resources we have ever seen”, involving officers from every Australian state and territory and New Zealand. “It’s been the number one focus for Victoria police since the 26th of August,” he said. “Everyone has been absolutely committed to bringing this to some conclusion. “One of the pleasing things is we’ll be now able to dedicate that resource to other matters, other serious crime investigations.” He would not disclose how much the operation cost. In February, after a five-day search, police told reporters they were exploring three scenarios in relation to Freeman: he died near Mount Buffalo by self-harm or misadventure; he escaped the area and was being harboured; or that he has escaped the area and has survived without help. Bush on Monday said “there was a lot to suggest Freeman had taken his own life”. “But I can tell you, standing here, that our investigators, that’s why our professionals keep their mind open to every possible outcome and follow every possible lead,” he said. “It’s been relentless.” The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, described Freeman as “evil” and said his actions had “hung like a dark, dark shadow” over the community of Porepunkah and the surrounding region. “It’s over. And it’s good this individual is no longer a threat to the Victorian community. But to the families of [Thompson] and [De Waart-Hottart], this will never be over.” 2:25 Dezi Freeman: what we know about the three-hour siege that led to the fugitive's death – video Wayne Gatt, the secretary of the Police Association Victoria, said the shooting of Freeman was “a step forward”. “Closure isn’t the right word. This represents a step forward for our members, for the families of our fallen members and for the community,” Gatt said. “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 Victorian opposition leader, Jess Wilson, and the shadow police minister, Brad Battin, said their thoughts remained with the families of the officers who were shot in the line of duty. “Nothing can undo their loss, but today may bring a measure of closure,” the MPs said in a joint statement. “We commend the extraordinary skill, determination and persistence of Victoria Police, who have worked tirelessly to bring this matter to a close.” Follow our full coverage of the Dezi Freeman shooting What we know so far about the shooting of Dezi Freeman Video update: Watch the Victoria police press conference Explore more on these topics Porepunkah shooting Victoria Crime - Australia news Share Reuse this content