Police have shot dead a man believed to be Desmond 'Dezi' Freeman, ending a seven-month search for the fugitive who allegedly killed two police officers in Porepunkah, Victoria, last August. The shooting occurred at approximately 8:30am on Monday, 30 March, following a three-hour standoff on a rural property near Walwa in northeast Victoria.
Victorian police commissioner Mike Bush stated that while formal identification by the coroner is pending, police strongly believe the deceased is Freeman. Bush described the structure from which the man emerged as 'a cross between a shipping container and very long caravan'. He noted that police appealed for the individual to surrender peacefully, but he did not comply.
Bush indicated that the man is believed to have been armed when he exited the structure, though this is yet to be confirmed. The shooting will be investigated by both the coroner and the police Professional Standards Command. Bush added, 'Everything I know at this point tells me that this shooting was justified.'
Freeman had been on the run since 26 August, when he allegedly opened fire on police officers executing a search warrant in Porepunkah. Two officers—detective leading senior constable Neal Thompson, 59, and senior constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 35—were killed, and a third was wounded. Police described Freeman as 'heavily armed' and proficient in bushcraft.
Commissioner Bush declined to confirm the exact location of the standoff but expressed interest in identifying anyone who may have assisted Freeman during his time on the run. A $1 million reward for information leading to Freeman's location had been offered, but Bush stated that any claims or tips would remain confidential.
