AUS Victoria Porepunkah shooting-2 police officer dead- 26th August 2025 MEDIA/MAPS/TIMELINE *NO DISCUSSION*

[drsleuth]

Australian ‘sex offender’ kills police officers and flees into bush

A major manhunt is underway after two Australian police officers were shot dead in an “execution” by a suspected sex offender who then fled into the bush.

www.telegraph.co.uk

Australian ‘sex offender’ kills police officers and flees into bush
Andrea Hamblin in Melbourne 26 August 2025 2:24pm 1:31PM

That’s all for today​

Thanks for following our live coverage of the manhunt for a suspected sex offender who allegedly shot two police officers in Australia before fleeing into a bush.

Here’s a reminder of what happened today:

• Two Australian police officers were shot dead in an “execution” by a suspected sex offender who then fled into the bush
• The officers were ambushed at a rural property in the Victorian Alps, 180 miles north-east of Melbourne, early this morning
• A 59-year-old detective and a senior constable, 35, were killed instantly while a third was wounded
• The suspect was named as Dezi Freeman, a local man in his 50s, who was well known to police
• A major police operation is currently underway as officers continue their hunt for Freeman deep into the night

1:20PM

Albanese: All of Australia is in mourning​

Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister, has paid tribute to the killed police officers and said Australia is in mourning.

“All Australians are mourning with the families, loved ones and colleagues of the two Victoria Police officers who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty,” he wrote on X.

He added that the events were a reminder of the “risks police take each day to protect us”.

Shootings are rare in Australia, where the country has some of the world’s strictest gun-control laws.​

 

[drsleuth]

DAY 2 27/8/2025

Porepunkah police shooting as it happened: Accused gunman remains on run as slain officers named

Dezi Freeman remains the target of a major manhunt after allegedly executing two policemen and injuring a third in an ambush attack in Porepunkah. Follow our live coverage.

www.theage.com.au

Live updates

Pinned post from 9.25pm on Aug 27, 2025

What we know so far​

• Dezi Freeman, 56, remains on the run after allegedly shooting dead two police officers and injuring another at a rural property in Porepunkah, about 300 kilometres north-east of Melbourne on Tuesday morning.
• The two killed police have been named as Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart, while the injured officer is recovering in Melbourne’s Alfred hospital after undergoing surgery. Both fallen officers have been remembered fondly by their colleagues.
• Freeman fled into dense bushland following the alleged ambush, and police have now established a no-fly zone over the area as they continue to look for him.
• Several loud popping and banging noises were heard at the Porepunkah property where the police operation to find Freeman is underway. A police helicopter spent much of the afternoon centred on that area. Ambulances and special operations police left the property shortly before 7pm.
• The message to residents is to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.
• Despite earlier reports of a hostage situation, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush gave an update at 8.30am, saying this was not the case. Freeman’s partner and children went to a police station on Tuesday night and have been interviewed.
• Police say Freeman is an experienced bushman and concede that he knows the area better than they do. He is believed to be armed with multiple powerful guns, after officers found no firearms at the property after the shooting.

 

[drsleuth]

Police name slain officers as teams search for suspected gunman — as it happened

A massive search continues for a Porepunkah man who allegedly shot and killed two police officers at his property in rural Victoria.

www.abc.net.au

Wed, 11:58pm

This is where we'll leave our live coverage​

By Daniela Pizzirani​

Here's a recap of the days events as the search continues overnight:

• The suspected gunman Dezi Freeman remains at large after shooting and killing two police officers and injuring another in Porepunkah, Victoria yesterday.
• The two officers were 59-year-old Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and 35-year-old Senior Constable Vadim De Waart.
• The 56-year-old accused gunman claims to be a sovereign citizen and is on the run in the region 300km north-east of Melbourne.
• Police have not had any confirmed sightings of the alleged gunman and say he is an experienced bushman who knows the dense bushland area better than authorities.
• All aircraft are now banned from flying over the Porepunkah search area until 11.30am Friday.
• He is believed to be heavily armed. Locals in Porepunkah have been told to stay inside until he is found.

 

[drsleuth]

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/victoria/police-officer-shot-at-porepunkah-two-other-officers-unaccounted-for/live-coverage/b9e39391791ee15b798cfeb94359e84f?amp

Hunt for accused gunman Dezi Freeman after two police officers were shot dead in Porepunkah​

Hundreds of police officers have joined a huge manhunt for Dezi Freeman who allegedly shot three police officers, killing two, in an ambush attack in Porepunkah.

Mark Buttler and staff reporters

3 min read
August 26, 2025 - 11:57PM

Two police officers were “murdered in cold blood” in a sovereign citizen’s alleged ambush on an isolated northeast Victorian farm on Tuesday.
The Herald Sun has been told the members – one on the cusp of retirement and the other on a snow season secondment – had boarded a bus used by Dezi Freeman as a home where they were to carry out a gun check.

It is alleged Mr Freeman, who was inside, suddenly emerged and blasted them with a shotgun in what one police source described as a “straight-out execution”.

 

[drsleuth]

Loud bangs heard near rural Australian property as suspect remains on run – as it happened

All the days news as it unfolded

www.theguardian.com

6d ago19.17 AEST

Here’s what we learned: Wednesday, 27 August​

We’ll wind down our live coverage of unfolding events in Porepunkah shortly.

• Suspected gunman Dezi Freeman remains on the run in a semi-rural part of Victoria’s north east.
• Freeman, the man suspected of shooting and killing two police officers and injuring a third at a rural Victorian property, has previously called police “terrorist thugs” and has a history of association with pseudolaw and “sovereign citizen” ideas.
• The Victorian police commissioner said police believe Freeman is thought to understand “bushcraft well”, presenting a challenge for those searching for him. He said the best experts in the country are doing “everything” they could to find Freeman.
• The slain officers were named as Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart.
• At the scene in Porepunkah, at least three loud bangs, which sounded like shots, were heard this afternoon near the property where Freeman was living.
• A roadblock remains in place around the area where Freeman was living. A convoy of police vehicles has now left the area.
• Jacinta Allan honoured the slain officers and said every effort was being put into the manhunt for the suspect.
• Porepunkah residents are advised to stay indoors and stay vigilant while the operation continues.
• One local described the small town as an “idyllic place to live. It’s a really nice place to live. It’s not some conspiracy theorist town.” Another said she suspected Freeman “knows how to look after himself” out in the bush.
• From Facebook groups to shootouts with police, my colleague Ariel Bogle took a look inside the sprawling ecosystem of ‘sovereign citizens’.
• Other tributes have flowed for the officers who lost their lives, including from Victoria’s opposition leader, Brad Battin, and the federal member for Indi, Helen Haines.
• Finally, here’s our wrap of the events so far.

 

[drsleuth]

Police Presser # 2 27/8/2025

 

[drsleuth]

https://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/police-officer-shot-two-unaccounted-for-after-incident-in-victoria/news-story/f86aa60d804d0b31c42c89232d9625b4

“Media reports have suggested Freeman may well have taken the slain officer’s guns and radios to listen in on the search.”

 

[drsleuth]

Key Event
7m ago

Victoria Police has published an update about the search for Dezi Freeman on its website.

It warns the locals in Porepunkah and surrounding townships will continue to see a lot of police activity in their area.

Police say Mr Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby, was last seen wearing dark green or khaki tracksuit pants, a dark green rain jacket, brown boots and reading glasses.

They also describe him as being 183cm tall, of medium build with short dark hair.

"The community can be reassured that we have significant resources from within Victoria Police, along with other agencies, assisting in the search to locate Filby," the statement said.

Police name slain officers as teams search for suspected gunman — as it happened

A massive search continues for a Porepunkah man who allegedly shot and killed two police officers at his property in rural Victoria.

www.abc.net.au