Police have shot dead a man believed to be Desmond 'Dezi' Freeman, ending a seven-month manhunt that began after the alleged murder of two police officers in Porepunkah, Victoria. The shooting occurred at 8.30am on Monday on a rural property near Walwa in northeast Victoria, following a three-hour stand-off.
Victorian police commissioner Mike Bush confirmed that the man, whom police 'strongly believe' was Freeman, was shot after refusing to surrender peacefully. Bush stated that the shooting would be subject to a coronial investigation and a review by the police Professional Standards Command, but added that 'everything I know at this point tells me that this shooting was justified'.
Freeman, a 56-year-old so-called 'sovereign citizen', had been on the run since 26 August, when he allegedly opened fire on police officers executing a search warrant at a rural property in Porepunkah. The attack killed detective leading senior constable Neal Thompson, 59, and senior constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 35, and wounded a third officer.
Commissioner Bush said the man was in a structure described as 'a cross between a shipping container and a very long caravan'. Police made an appeal for him to come out, but he did not surrender. Bush indicated that the man was believed to be armed when he exited the structure, though the exact details remain under investigation.
Police had offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Freeman's location. Bush declined to confirm whether anyone had claimed the reward, stating that all information related to rewards or tip-offs would remain confidential. He also expressed interest in identifying anyone who may have assisted Freeman during his time on the run, warning that they would be held accountable.
The manhunt, codenamed Operation Summit, involved extensive searches across the mountainous terrain near Mount Buffalo National Park. Earlier this year, police had considered the possibility that Freeman may have died by suicide or misadventure, but kept all options open. The shooting brings the operation to a close, pending formal identification by the Victorian coroner.
