Porepunkah shooting: Two officers dead and another wounded after shooting at High Country property, Victoria, Australia #2

[Deleted member 371138]

I just had a macabre thought... IMO If Dezi hated the police so much, and knew his life was pretty much over at this point... What, in my opinion would be the biggest final "finger" to the police (other than going out in a final shootout - which I feel like if he wanted that he would have done it already) is if he took his own life in some ridiculously inaccessible spot. I'm sure the thought of an enormous amount of time and money wasted to never find him would have filled him with happiness.

Maybe he has mental issues but the guy was smart imo.

That's exactly what I thought as well. I agree with your sentiments entirely.
I don't think anybody would know that location, so no amount of reward will help reveal it.
125 specialist officers were involved in the search I presume of the Mt Buffalo bushland last Friday.
I think you would need 450 people out there every day for 2 weeks and that probably still wouldn't find Dezi if he's hidden himself really well in a place to die.
They would need to work out his headspace whether Dezi would be inclined to wait wherever he is to attack police or find a hiding spot and shoot himself.
If they had done that assessment in the beginning IMO none of this would be happening right now.
I agree with you that he was/is smart. Just because he thinks differently to most people doesn't make him an idiot.
IMO it's a very regretful situation.

 

[drsleuth]

That's exactly what I thought as well. I agree with your sentiments entirely.
I don't think anybody would know that location, so no amount of reward will help reveal it.
125 specialist officers were involved in the search I presume of the Mt Buffalo bushland last Friday.
I think you would need 450 people out there every day for 2 weeks and that probably still wouldn't find Dezi if he's hidden himself really well in a place to die.
They would need to work out his headspace whether Dezi would be inclined to wait wherever he is to attack police or find a hiding spot and shoot himself.
If they had done that assessment in the beginning IMO none of this would be happening right now.
I agree with you that he was/is smart. Just because he thinks differently to most people doesn't make him an idiot.
IMO it's a very regretful situation.

BBM : We don't know what assessment they did before trying to enact the search warrant. Maybe they did??

They could have, for all we know have had him under surveillance for months in the lead up IMO

They went there with 10 cops , they had do have done some homework prior.

You can do all the risk assessments you like , but human behaviour to a certain extent unpredictable.

There is never no risk, unfortunately.

Did they know he had illegal handmade firearms??

 

[drsleuth]

NZ police join manhunt for accused Victoria cop-killer

Victoria Police are conducting the largest tactical operation in Australia's history, with more than 125 specialist police called in to join the search from interstate and New Zealand.

www.1news.co.nz

NZ police join manhunt for accused Victoria cop-killer​

By 1News Reporters
45 mins ago

 

[Marg944]

dbm

 

[Marg944]

14 September 2025

Incidents and Warnings - VicEmergency

Victoria's combined source of emergency information and warnings, helping the community to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies across the state.

emergency.vic.gov.au

 

[Marg944]

TikTok - Make Your Day

 

[reepbot]

That's exactly what I thought as well. I agree with your sentiments entirely.
I don't think anybody would know that location, so no amount of reward will help reveal it.
125 specialist officers were involved in the search I presume of the Mt Buffalo bushland last Friday.
I think you would need 450 people out there every day for 2 weeks and that probably still wouldn't find Dezi if he's hidden himself really well in a place to die.
They would need to work out his headspace whether Dezi would be inclined to wait wherever he is to attack police or find a hiding spot and shoot himself.
If they had done that assessment in the beginning IMO none of this would be happening right now.
I agree with you that he was/is smart. Just because he thinks differently to most people doesn't make him an idiot.
IMO it's a very regretful situation.

They probably care even less about his headspace now that he's killed two of their own colleagues. Even though that's probably the smart thing to do, to try and work out what he would be thinking.

 

[Deleted member 371138]

NZ police join manhunt for accused Victoria cop-killer

Victoria Police are conducting the largest tactical operation in Australia's history, with more than 125 specialist police called in to join the search from interstate and New Zealand.

www.1news.co.nz

NZ police join manhunt for accused Victoria cop-killer​

By 1News Reporters
45 mins ago

The NZ officers must have come over just for the bushland search last Friday and have since gone home.

Dezi Freeman search now Australia's largest tactical police deployment

New Zealand police briefly joined the search for alleged police killer Dezi Freeman as travel advice for Victoria's north-east eases.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Deleted member 371138]

View attachment 614458

TikTok - Make Your Day

Certainly very strange the river search only began after Jonica's story highlighting a possible escape via a kayak on the river. Sounds like it was the first time police searched the river and that was at least two weeks after Dezi disappeared.

 

[Marg944]

Dezi Freeman search: Cops make big call after conducting 'largest ever' tactical operation in hunt for accused gunman​

“Investigators hunting accused cop killer Dezi Freeman have made a huge call after conducting what has been labelled the "largest ever tactical policing operation" in Australia's history in the search for the fugitive.

Victorian police searching for accused cop killer Dezi Freeman have made a big call to lift travel warnings to and from Porepunkah after conducting a historic tactical operation.
Police have confirmed residents are no longer required to steer clear of the north-eastern town after the community was earlier asked to avoid the area for their own safety.”

Snipped

"As I say, this is the largest tactical policing operation ever undertaken in Australia's policing history."

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/crime/dezi-freeman-search-cops-make-big-call-after-conducting-largest-ever-tactical-operation-in-hunt-for-accused-gunman/news-story/d4e975573719a9c4bfa87a4351e1c4c2

 

[Marg944]

The NZ officers must have come over just for the bushland search last Friday and have since gone home.

Dezi Freeman search now Australia's largest tactical police deployment

New Zealand police briefly joined the search for alleged police killer Dezi Freeman as travel advice for Victoria's north-east eases.

www.abc.net.au

Yes, I had to go and find the various quotes from the media, to work it out. It seemed as soon as they got here, they were gone again. I think they arrived on Friday and then went back to NZ today?




“Eleven New Zealand police staff from a specialist workgroup had been deployed to Victoria since Friday, acting Assistant Commissioner Penelope Gifford confirmed to 1News.

"It is not unusual for us to support our Australian counterparts on occasion, where required.”

NZ police join manhunt for accused Victoria cop-killer

Victoria Police are conducting the largest tactical operation in Australia's history, with more than 125 specialist police called in to join the search from interstate and New Zealand.

www.1news.co.nz

Alleged cop killer manhunt: Photos reveal largest tactical policing operation in Australian history

The search, now in its 20th day, remains focused around Porepunkah.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[Kemug]

I just had a macabre thought... IMO If Dezi hated the police so much, and knew his life was pretty much over at this point... What, in my opinion would be the biggest final "finger" to the police (other than going out in a final shootout - which I feel like if he wanted that he would have done it already) is if he took his own life in some ridiculously inaccessible spot. I'm sure the thought of an enormous amount of time and money wasted to never find him would have filled him with happiness.

Maybe he has mental issues but the guy was smart imo.

But what about the sniffer dogs? And if they need more, maybe some could be temporarily seconded from airports?

 

[drsleuth]

Yes, I had to go and find the various quotes from the media, to work it out. It seemed as soon as they got here, they were gone again. I think they arrived on Friday and then went back to NZ today?




“Eleven New Zealand police staff from a specialist workgroup had been deployed to Victoria since Friday, acting Assistant Commissioner Penelope Gifford confirmed to 1News.

"It is not unusual for us to support our Australian counterparts on occasion, where required.”

NZ police join manhunt for accused Victoria cop-killer

Victoria Police are conducting the largest tactical operation in Australia's history, with more than 125 specialist police called in to join the search from interstate and New Zealand.

www.1news.co.nz

View attachment 614459

Alleged cop killer manhunt: Photos reveal largest tactical policing operation in Australian history

The search, now in its 20th day, remains focused around Porepunkah.

www.nzherald.co.nz

They were only here for the intense tactical search on Friday. I don't imagine NZ has a huge amount of elite tactical operatives to spare on an ongoing basis. These are highly trained & skilled cops.

 

[drsleuth]

Certainly very strange the river search only began after Jonica's story highlighting a possible escape via a kayak on the river. Sounds like it was the first time police searched the river and that was at least two weeks after Dezi disappeared.

How do we know the river was only searched recently??? And from a Daily Mail article / TT??

I really don't think VIC police enlisted the help of highly specialists police from NZ & just didn't bother searching the main or river or waterways until getting a "clue" from Jonica??

I find that very hard to believe .


IMO

 

[Deleted member 371138]

I'm still fixated on those pesky airfield cameras/lights @Marg944
With the north west airfield view there seems to be a light there now which may be new. There's an annoying police notice stuck in the way of it on the picture unfortunately so it's hard to see.
I wonder if its the same setup as the light seen from the south west camera angle.
It might be my eyes, but it seems there's strange little lights around both lights.
What do you think.

 

[Absoluterubbish]

How do we know the river was only searched recently??? And from a Daily Mail article / TT??

I really don't think VIC police enlisted the help of highly specialists police from NZ & just didn't bother searching the main or river or waterways until getting a "clue" from Jonica??

I find that very hard to believe .


IMO

Hard agree on this

 

[essareem]

But what about the sniffer dogs? And if they need more, maybe some could be temporarily seconded from airports?

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. I think they have been using sniffer dogs already? One example

And I feel like Dezi would have known to conceal his scent.

 

[Deleted member 371138]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. I think they have been using sniffer dogs already? One example

And I feel like Dezi would have known to conceal his scent.

Also, just after he ran away it started to rain, which already would have made things hard to follow his trail.

 

[SouthAussie]

I don't think Filby is dead. I think he probably had a pretty tight exit plan, just in case the police came looking for him (or an apocalypse happened).

He will probably chance getting as much time as he can, on the run. But sooner or later the authorities will catch up to him. He is living on borrowed time.

I wonder if Filby yelled to his 15-year old son to film the police visit, or if the son just did that of his own volition.

imo

 

[Kemug]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. I think they have been using sniffer dogs already? One example

And I feel like Dezi would have known to conceal his scent.

I'm not talking about tracking him, what I mean is if/once he is dead, then sniffer dogs will find him.