A massive manhunt is underway in rural Victoria after two police officers were shot dead and another wounded during a warrant operation in Porepunkah. The accused gunman, identified as 56-year-old Dezi Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby, remains on the run more than 24 hours after the deadly incident, sending the small Alpine town into lockdown and leaving the state reeling in shock. Freeman allegedly opened fire on officers when they attended his semi-rural property on Rayner Track late Tuesday morning. Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waa

A massive manhunt is underway in rural Victoria after two police officers were shot dead and another wounded during a warrant operation in Porepunkah. The accused gunman, identified as 56-year-old Dezi Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby, remains on the run more than 24 hours after the deadly incident, sending the small Alpine town into lockdown and leaving the state reeling in shock. Freeman allegedly opened fire on officers when they attended his semi-rural property on Rayner Track late Tuesday morning. Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35, were both killed at the scene. A third officer remains in hospital in a stable condition after undergoing surgery,

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reports. Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush confirmed that 10 officers had gone to the property to execute a warrant on Freeman. “The team who we want there were local officers and members of the sexual offences and child investigation team,” Bush said. After firing multiple shots, Freeman is believed to have fled on foot into the bushland surrounding Porepunkah.

Police at the crime scene in Porepunkah where 2 cops shot dead. (Joe Armao/The Age via 9News)

Authorities admit Freeman, a self-proclaimed “sovereign citizen,” knows the rugged terrain better than police. “He knows that area. Even though we have experts in the area, he will know that area better than us,” Bush said. He also warned that Freeman may be armed with “several powerful longarms,” urging residents not to provide him any assistance. “Don’t support this person. It’s very dangerous. He’s killed two police officers and injured a third. He does not deserve anyone’s assistance.” As the manhunt intensifies, tributes have poured in for the two slain officers whose lives and careers left a deep mark on their colleagues and communities. Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson joined Victoria Police in 1987. Over nearly four decades of service, he worked across general duties, major fraud, and the state crime squad, before serving most recently with Wangaratta CIU. Described as an “adventurer who loved all things outdoors,” Thompson had been planning for retirement with his partner, Lisa. “Together with Lisa, Neal had built a new home and had a long list of tasks planned after he knocked off work for the last time,” Victoria Police said. His colleagues remembered him as “one-of-a-kind… devoted to his partner and to his job,” with Wangaratta locals calling him “irreplaceable.”

Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson. (Victoria Police via 9News)

Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, Belgian-born and fluent in four languages, began his policing career in 2018. He worked at St Kilda before taking a temporary posting in Wangaratta. An “eternal optimist and avid traveller,” he was known for his love of scuba diving, motorcycling, and gin collecting. “While travelling was his passion, Vadim was extremely proud to have purchased his first home in Melbourne in recent years,” Victoria Police noted. He is survived by his parents in Belgium, his younger brother in Switzerland, and extended family in Melbourne.

Senior Constable Vadim De Waart. (Victoria Police)

Chief Commissioner Bush said the deaths struck at the heart of Victoria Police. “This devastating loss of Neal and Vadim has struck at the heart of Victoria Police, the broader policing family and the community of Porepunkah,” he said. “While we all live with the knowledge that the worst could happen on a shift, we don’t expect it to. In these difficult times it is so important that our people stand together and support each other.” The Police Association’s secretary, Wayne Gatt, echoed the sentiment, saying: “They were more than the uniforms they wore. They were people. Loved by their friends, families and colleagues. Unique and irreplaceable.” The shooting sent shockwaves through Porepunkah, where schools, council facilities, and local businesses were forced to shut as police scoured the area. While Porepunkah Primary School is expected to reopen, residents remain on edge. “That bloke could be anywhere in the bush,” one local said. Another described the atmosphere as “putting you a bit on the edge.” Police have stressed that the situation remains “active” and warned residents to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary. Freeman’s family has been accounted for, with his partner and children confirmed safe after speaking with police. Premier Jacinta Allan urged Victorians to come together in solidarity with emergency services and the families of the fallen. “It’s a way, a very physical way, that we can say to the men and women of Victoria Police we stand with you, we support you, we care for you and we love you,” Allan said. “Particularly in this time of grief… now is the time for unity.” As hundreds of officers, including specialist units, continue to search the dense bushland, fears are growing that the manhunt could stretch for days. Police have not ruled out the possibility that Freeman may have prepared traps or a hideout. “Anything’s possible,” Bush admitted, though he stressed officers are well briefed and experienced.

Police is still searching for Freeman, the suspected murderer of the two cops. (Joe Armao via 9News)

For now, Victoria mourns two officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, while an armed fugitive remains at large.  

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