Dezi Freeman, the man wanted for the murder of two Victorian police officers, has been shot dead following a three-hour standoff at an isolated property near Thologolong. Police had been searching for Freeman since August, when he allegedly killed officers Neal Thompson and Vadim De Waart-Hartog during a search warrant in Porepunkah.
Freeman was found living in a makeshift camp of shipping containers and portable dongas on a 35-hectare property. Police acted on a tipoff received last week that he had been sighted near Walwa. They arrived at the property about 24 hours before the confrontation early Monday morning.
During the standoff, Freeman emerged from his hideout cloaked in a blanket, which he dropped to reveal a weapon believed to be the service firearm of one of the slain officers. Multiple officers opened fire; it is unclear if Freeman fired back. No police were injured.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush stated that officers gave Freeman every opportunity to surrender peacefully. 'It is quite clear to us now that the deceased was given every opportunity to resolve this peacefully and did not take that option,' Bush said. He confirmed that video footage shows Freeman presenting a firearm at officers.
Police are now investigating how Freeman survived for over 200 days and whether anyone assisted him. Bush noted it would be 'very difficult' for Freeman to have travelled from Porepunkah to Thologolong without help. 'We will track backwards from here to work out how long he's been here, and who helped him to be here,' he added.
The case will be subject to a coronial inquest and a Professional Standards investigation, standard procedure for police-involved shootings.
