Dezi Freeman Fatally Shot by Police After Extensive Manhunt in Victoria
Dezi Freeman, a 56-year-old man identified as a sovereign citizen, has been shot and killed by Victoria police following a seven-month manhunt. The operation concluded in a remote area near Thologolong, approximately 100 kilometres from Porepunkah, where Freeman was accused of committing a violent attack on law enforcement officers in August last year.
Deadly Incident in Porepunkah
On 26 August, a group of ten police officers, including members from the sexual offences and child abuse investigation team, arrived at Freeman's rural property in Porepunkah to execute a search warrant. The location is situated about 210 kilometres north-east of Melbourne in Victoria's alpine region. During the operation, Freeman allegedly opened fire, resulting in the tragic deaths of two officers and injuring a third.
The officers killed were Detective Neal Thompson, aged 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, aged 35. Another police officer sustained gunshot wounds and required surgical intervention. Authorities described the shooting as an act carried out in cold blood, sparking what has been termed Australia's largest tactical policing operation to date.
Background and Beliefs of Dezi Freeman
Desmond "Dezi" Freeman resided in a bus on a rural property near Porepunkah with his wife and two children, while a third child had moved out earlier in 2024. In a 2019 pseudolaw podcast, Freeman introduced himself as a photographer from north-east Victoria and openly declared himself a sovereign citizen. He expressed a profound hatred towards police, with acquaintances noting his increasing radicalisation over recent years.
Freeman's criminal history spanned more than three decades, though he had no convictions for serious offences. Court documents reveal a pattern of distrust towards law enforcement and an adherence to conspiracy theories. Notably, he once attempted to arrest a magistrate during a court hearing in Wangaratta and refused to provide a saliva sample when caught speeding in September 2020.
Manhunt and Final Confrontation
After the alleged shooting, Freeman fled into the adjacent Mount Buffalo national park, an area he was familiar with, armed and alone. Hundreds of police officers conducted extensive searches over the subsequent months. The manhunt ended on Monday morning when Freeman was located at a remote property in the foothills of Mount Lawson state forest.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush reported that Freeman died shortly after 8:30 AM following an hours-long standoff. Police had appealed to Freeman to surrender from a structure described as a hybrid between a container and a long caravan. Despite opportunities for peaceful surrender, Freeman did not comply, and authorities strongly believe he was armed at the time.
Investigation into Possible Assistance
Commissioner Bush indicated that police are keen to identify any individuals who may have assisted Freeman in evading capture from Porepunkah to his final location. He suggested it would have been challenging for Freeman to reach the area without external help. In February, police considered three scenarios: Freeman died near Mount Buffalo by self-harm or misadventure, he escaped and was being harboured, or he survived independently without assistance.
The investigation continues as authorities seek to uncover the full extent of Freeman's actions and any potential accomplices involved in his evasion.
