A crazed sovereign citizen, Dezi Freeman, mocked a dead policeman and looted his body after shooting him in the head with a shotgun during a violent confrontation in Porepunkah, Victoria, on August 26 last year. The double cop killer erupted in fury as police attempted to execute a search warrant over alleged child sex offences.
The Attack Unfolds
Freeman shouted abuse at the dying officers, yelling, 'F**ing scum ... you f**ing die in f**ing hell,' as Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart lay on the ground. Standing over the bodies of his victims, the gunman unleashed a hate-filled rant. Detective Leading Senior Constable Neil Thompson was shot first in the side of the face and neck as he entered the bus, collapsing instantly. Senior Constable De Waart-Hottart was then shot in the head as he tried to run, and Freeman took his weapon from the bloody corpse.
Freeman repeatedly said, 'I had no choice. I had no choice,' after shooting the officers. The shocking details were aired on Monday at the Coroners Court of Victoria, where an inquest into the police operation began in Melbourne.
Cold-Blooded Actions
The court heard that Freeman doubled down on Senior Constable Thompson, shooting him a second time while standing over both bodies. The killer then sent a text to his wife, Amalia 'Mali' Freeman, saying, 'Get a mile away and keep going. See you in heaven love,' as he fled into the bush.
State Coroner Judge Liberty Sanger opened the inquest into the deaths of the two officers, paying tribute to them. 'I would like to acknowledge the members of both Neil and Vadim's families ... I offer my condolences to all of you on the loss of Neil and Vadim,' she said.
Chaotic Confrontation
Counsel assisting the coroner, Lindsay Spence, detailed the chaotic confrontation. 'The purpose of their attendance was the execution of a search warrant,' Mr Spence told the court. Freeman, also known as Desmond Christopher Filby, refused to come out, yelling that the search was 'illegal' and that police were breaking their own laws.
After prolonged negotiations, Thompson climbed through the bus window, where he was met with a shotgun blast. Amalia then stood in front of the bus window, telling police, 'All right, we are coming out,' but it was too late. The killer later discharged the shotgun towards other officers, causing serious injuries to one, before fleeing into bushland.
'The offender has stood over both bodies and said various things, which out of respect for the families, I will not repeat,' Mr Spence said. The inquest heard that Freeman had no valid firearms licence at the time, and the shotgun used in the murders has never been recovered.
The court also heard that police accused Freeman's wife of 'hindering' the operation, telling her to get out of the way. 'Yes, I'll bloody talk to you. We'll go from there,' Freeman told the officers at his door. 'Stop your goons from breaking the door.' Senior Constable Thompson pleaded with Freeman's wife to open the door, telling her to 'move back' as another officer warned her to 'stop hindering' them.
More to come.
