Australian fugitive Dezi Freeman, who had been evading authorities for seven months, is believed to have been fatally shot by police. In August, Freeman, 56, shot and killed Detective Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart on his property in the small town of Porepunkah, Victoria during a police search related to a child sex abuse investigation.
Following the incident, Freeman managed to escape capture despite extensive searches and a significant reward offered by the police. The manhunt for Freeman became one of the largest police operations in Australia, with officers combing through bushland in pursuit of the fugitive.
Reports from Victorian Chief Commissioner of Police Mike Bush indicated that a man was killed after an armed standoff at a rural property in north-east Victoria. Although the exact location of the shooting was not confirmed, there are indications that it occurred in Walwa, near Porepunkah and close to the New South Wales border.
Formal identification of the deceased individual, believed to be Dezi Freeman, is pending. The operation marked the conclusion of the search for the fugitive, with the standoff beginning early in the morning and ending within a few hours. The families of the slain police officers were the first to be informed of the development.
While the Police Association of Victoria acknowledged the news of Freeman’s death as a positive step, they emphasized that it would not alleviate the trauma experienced by their members. Investigations will now shift focus towards any potential accomplices who aided Freeman during his time on the run.
Standard procedures following a police-involved shooting will include oversight by the Professional Standards Command and a coronial hearing. A statement confirmed the presence of the coroner at the scene for further investigation.
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