Manhunt for Alleged Killer of Police Officers in Porepunkah, Australia

Sat Sep 13 2025 18:06:07 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A massive manhunt is underway in rural Australia following the tragic shooting of two police officers by a suspect identified as Dezi Freeman. The community is in shock as authorities continue their search.

Two police officers, Detective Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, were shot dead while executing a warrant in Porepunkah, Australia. The suspect, 56-year-old Dezi Freeman, remains at large and heavily armed. The police department and local community mourn the loss while the search intensifies with multiple resources deployed. The incident brings renewed scrutiny on how authorities confront individuals with extreme beliefs.

Two police officers who were shot dead while on duty in a rural Australian town have been named as a massive search continues for their alleged killer.

Victoria Police identified the victims as 59-year-old Detective Neal Thompson – a local officer on the brink of retirement – and 35-year-old Senior Constable Vadim De Waart. The pair had travelled to the property in Porepunkah, north-east of Melbourne, alongside eight colleagues to execute a warrant for alleged sexual offences. Another officer was seriously injured in the shootout but is recovering after surgery.

Police say the suspect – named as local man Dezi Freeman, 56 – is heavily armed and still at large more than 24 hours after the shooting.

Thompson joined the force in 1987 and worked with the major fraud and crime squads before moving to Wangaratta in 2007. A great lover of the outdoors, he was planning for his imminent retirement. De Waart was temporarily posted to Wangaratta but lived in Melbourne, having moved from Belgium.

In a statement, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said the devastating loss struck at the heart of the broader policing family and the Porepunkah community. While we all live with the knowledge that the worst could happen on a shift, we don’t expect it to, he said.

Emergency services are deploying a helicopter and armoured vehicle and combing the dense bushland. Authorities have warned residents to stay inside until Freeman is caught. Bush also confirmed that Freeman's partner and children were safe, despite earlier reports.

Local community members have likened the search to finding a needle in a haystack, and expressed their shock over the shooting. Political leaders, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, have urged vigilance and addressed concerns over how incidents involving individuals with extreme views are handled.