A massive manhunt entered its fourth day Friday for a heavily armed suspect accused of fatally shooting two police officers and wounding a third during an ambush at a rural property in Porepunkah, Victoria, Australia, on Tuesday, August 26, 2025.
The shooting occurred at approximately 10:30 a.m. local time when 10 armed officers arrived at a property on Rayner Track to execute a search warrant related to alleged sexual offenses. Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush stated the officers “were murdered in cold blood” by the suspect, who immediately fled into surrounding dense bushland.
The victims were identified as Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35. Thompson, who joined the force in 1987, had worked with major fraud and crime squads before transferring to Wangaratta in 2007 and was planning for his imminent retirement. De Waart, temporarily posted to Wangaratta from Melbourne, was an avid traveler who had moved from Belgium.
A third officer suffered serious injuries after being shot in the lower body and underwent surgery. Hospital officials confirmed Thursday morning that the wounded officer remained in stable condition at Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.
Police identified the suspect as Dezi Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby, a 56-year-old local resident. Bush described Freeman as heavily armed with multiple firearms, including long guns, and experienced in wilderness survival skills. The police chief indicated Freeman’s knowledge of the rugged terrain poses significant challenges for search teams.
Freeman has a documented history of anti-government sentiment and describes himself as a “sovereign citizen,” referring to individuals who falsely believe they are not subject to Australian laws and government authority. Court documents from a 2024 Supreme Court hearing reveal Freeman had referred to police officers as “Nazis” and “terrorist thugs” during legal proceedings related to his suspended driver’s license.
The suspect gained notoriety in 2021 when he attempted to arrest a magistrate and police officers while representing himself in Wangaratta Magistrate’s Court. Freeman also previously attempted to prosecute former Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews for treason and fraud.
The search has focused on steep, heavily wooded terrain in the Australian Alps near Freeman’s property. Porepunkah, home to approximately 1,000 residents and located 300 kilometers northeast of Melbourne, sits close to the New South Wales border.
Local business operator Misty-Rose Wilson described the search conditions as extremely challenging, noting the thick bush, steep inclines, poor weather, and low visibility facing search teams. She characterized the effort as finding a needle in a haystack given the difficult terrain.
Hundreds of specialist officers, helicopters, and at least one armored vehicle have been deployed in the search operation. Deputy Commissioner Russell Barrett confirmed Thursday that every available asset was being utilized in the manhunt and emphasized that authorities would not rest until Freeman was apprehended.
The Australian Federal Police confirmed it was providing assistance to the operation at Victoria Police’s request, with tactical response team officers reportedly deployed to the area. New South Wales police have also offered support for the search efforts.
On Thursday evening, police arrested a 42-year-old woman and a 15-year-old boy during raids at a property in Porepunkah. Bush later confirmed the woman was Freeman’s wife, who was interviewed and released pending further inquiries. The pair’s arrests formed part of the ongoing homicide investigation.
Initially, authorities were concerned about the whereabouts of Freeman’s partner and children, but Bush confirmed they had visited a police station Tuesday night and spoken with officers. He clarified this was not a hostage situation and that the family members were safe.
The incident has prompted comparisons to a similar attack in 2022 when two police officers were killed by Christian extremists at a rural property in Queensland’s Wieambilla region. Those shooters, described as conspiracy theorists who hated police, were killed by officers after a six-hour siege.
Bush urged residents in the Porepunkah area to remain vigilant and stay indoors until Freeman is captured. He warned against providing assistance to the suspect, emphasizing Freeman’s dangerous nature and the fact he had killed two officers.
The attack represents a rare occurrence of police fatalities in Australia, where gun violence is uncommon due to strict firearms regulations implemented following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre that killed 35 people.
