Dezi Freeman Killed in Confrontation, Concluding Seven-Month Manhunt
Dezi Freeman, 56, the subject of an extensive seven-month manhunt following the fatal shooting of two Victoria Police officers, was killed in a confrontation with heavily armed police on Monday morning at a rural property in Thologolong, north-east Victoria. The incident concluded a comprehensive search that began after officers Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart were killed, and a third injured, at Freeman's Porepunkah property on August 26. Police engaged in a three-hour standoff with Freeman, who was located in a converted shipping container on the property, before he was fatally shot.
Conclusion of the Manhunt
The extensive manhunt for Dezi Freeman, which lasted 216 days, concluded on Monday morning with his death during a police operation near Thologolong, Victoria, close to the New South Wales border. Freeman had been sought since August 26, when two police officers were fatally shot and a third injured at his Porepunkah property.
The Standoff and Fatal Shooting
Police located Freeman at a 35-hectare rural property on Murray River Road in Thologolong, approximately 150 kilometers from Porepunkah. Law enforcement had received a tip-off regarding his whereabouts the previous week and had been at the property for approximately 24 hours before confronting him in the early hours of Monday.
Freeman was found living in a rudimentary camp composed of shipping containers and portable structures, reportedly lacking running water or electricity. Victoria Police's Special Operations Group surrounded the location around 5:30 AM. A three-hour standoff ensued, during which police appealed for Freeman to surrender peacefully.
Police stated that Freeman did not comply with calls to surrender and identified himself as Dezi Freeman during the confrontation. Video evidence reportedly showed him pointing a firearm at officers. He emerged from the container wrapped in a blanket, cradling a firearm, and was subsequently shot by multiple police officers around 8:30 AM. No police officers were injured during the operation.
Chief Commissioner Mike Bush stated that police exhausted all tactical options to encourage a peaceful resolution. Police later confirmed that the firearm Freeman was holding belonged to one of the officers killed in August. Formal identification of the deceased was expected within 24 to 48 hours, though police expressed a strong belief it was Freeman.
Background: The Initial Incident
On August 26, two Victoria Police officers, Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 34, were fatally shot. A third officer sustained lower-body injuries in the incident.
The officers were executing a search warrant for historical child sex offenses at Freeman's rural property on Rayner Track in Porepunkah. Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby, was the primary suspect and fled into dense bushland with multiple firearms, including a homemade shotgun. He was widely reported to hold "sovereign citizen" beliefs, characterized by anti-government and anti-police views.
The Seven-Month Manhunt
Following the August shootings, Victoria Police established Taskforce Summit (also known as Operation Summit) to locate Freeman. The manhunt spanned hundreds of square kilometers across challenging alpine terrain, including caves, mines, huts, and rivers, notably in Victoria's Mount Buffalo National Park.
The operation involved hundreds of police officers and specialist resources, including the Fugitive Squad, Armed Crime Squad, VIPER Taskforce, Special Operations Group, Search and Rescue Squad, and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. Police from every Australian state and territory, as well as New Zealand, participated in the effort. The operational costs exceeded $1 million.
A $1 million reward, the largest in Victoria's history, was offered for information leading to Freeman's apprehension. Over the months, investigators considered possibilities ranging from Freeman being deceased in the bushland to him being harbored or surviving independently. In December, a specific five-day search operation was conducted in Mount Buffalo National Park, involving over 100 officers, volunteers, and cadaver dogs, based on a witness report of a single gunshot heard two hours after the initial incident. This search concluded without discovering Freeman.
Previous Investigations and Uncharged Individuals
Four days after the initial shootings, Freeman's wife, Amalia (Mali) Freeman, 42, and a 15-year-old boy, described as Freeman's son, were taken into custody during a raid at a separate Porepunkah home. They were interviewed and subsequently released.
Later, three individuals—Mali Freeman, a 56-year-old man from Porepunkah, and a third person—were questioned in connection with the investigation. Briefs of evidence were prepared for alleged obstruction of police (against the woman and man) and attempted theft (against the third person). However, charges were not pursued against any of the three individuals due to insufficient evidence, a decision confirmed after an independent review.
Following her release, Mali Freeman issued a statement through her lawyer, urging her husband to surrender and expressing sorrow for the officers' deaths, adding that she did not share her husband’s anti-authority views.
Ongoing Investigations and Reactions
Official Inquiries
A professional standards command investigation and a coronial inquiry will be conducted into the circumstances of Freeman's death, as is standard procedure for police shootings. The state coroner has attended the scene.
Police Statements
Chief Commissioner Mike Bush expressed confidence that the shooting was justified and hoped the resolution would bring closure to the families of the fallen officers. He also stated that police would rigorously investigate anyone who may have aided Freeman during his time as a fugitive. While initial information suggested no other individuals were present at the Thologolong property in the 24 hours preceding Freeman's death, police suspect others visited the site and intend to conduct interviews regarding any assistance provided. The property owner has been contacted.
Community and Association Reactions
The Police Association Victoria acknowledged the news as a "step forward" for its members and the families of the fallen officers, while reiterating the ongoing trauma and grief experienced. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen commented on the operation, stating that the individual was no longer a threat to the community.
Unanswered Questions
Questions remain regarding how Freeman traveled from Porepunkah to Thologolong and who, if anyone, may have assisted him in evading capture. Investigations into these aspects are active. Previous community concerns regarding police conduct during the search, including a pending lawsuit against Victoria Police by individuals reporting being wrongly detained, have also been noted.