Fugitive Dezi Freeman found and shot dead by police
Fugitive Dezi Freeman was shot dead by police six months after allegedly shooting two police officers in Victoria’s High Country.
Victoria Police confirmed a man was shot on a rural property at around 8.30am on Monday.
“A man was fatally shot by police at a property in north-east Victoria this morning as part of an operation to find Desmond Freeman,” police said in a statement on Monday. he said.
“No police officers were injured during the incident.
“The State Coroner will attend the scene and the investigation will be overseen by the Professional Standards Command in accordance with standard procedure for police shootings.
“More information will be released today as the situation develops.”
Freeman, formerly Filby, is alleged to have shot and killed two police officers while trying to execute a search warrant at a remote Porepunkah property in Victoria’s north-east on August 26.
Detective lead senior constable Neal Thompson and senior constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart were tragically killed, and a third police officer was also seriously injured during the alleged shooting.
Police last saw the 56-year-old fleeing into the woods near the Rayner Track property after the fatal shooting.
The self-described sovereign citizen was a married father of two and an experienced forester who had previously been hostile to the police and judicial system.
A massive manhunt involving 450 Victoria Police officers, members of the Australian Defense Force, the Australian Federal Police and officers from other states searched for the alleged double killer using heat detection devices and other technology.
Heavily armed officers in Bearcats and police vehicles were seen searching Freeman’s property.
More than 100 properties in the Porepunkah area were also searched by police in an attempt to catch the alleged gunman.
There was speculation that Freeman might be hiding underground in one of the hundreds of mines in the area, or that he was being harbored by sympathizers.
A $1 million reward was offered to anyone who provided information leading to his arrest.
A no-fly zone existed within a 7.5km zone of Porepunkah Airport, prohibiting all aircraft, including drones, from flying.
“This requirement was agreed due to the risk to aircraft and drones, given that the suspect in this incident was heavily armed,” police said.
Senior police officer de Waart-Hottart (35), one of two police officers shot dead in Porepunkah, was buried on 5 September.
Chief Superintendent Mike Bush said de Waart-Hottart was on temporary duty in Wangaratta at the time of the alleged shooting.
Detective Thompson was about to retire after 38 years of service with Victoria Police.
More to come.
