Fugitive Dezi Freeman Shot Dead by Police After Seven Months on the Run

Australian police have shot and killed a man believed to be Dezi Freeman, ending a seven-month manhunt following the killing of two officers in Victoria.

According to Victoria Police, the fatal shooting occurred after an hours-long standoff at a rural property in the state’s north-east. Authorities say the 56-year-old had been hiding since August, when he allegedly gunned down two officers at his property in Porepunkah before fleeing into surrounding bushland.

Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said officers surrounded a makeshift structure—described as a hybrid between a shipping container and a caravan—around 05:30 local time on Monday. After several hours and repeated calls to surrender, a man believed to be Freeman emerged and was shot.

Bush indicated the suspect appeared to be armed, possibly with a weapon taken from one of the officers killed in the earlier incident. He emphasised that police had intended to take Freeman into custody but that he did not surrender when given the opportunity.

Jacinta Allan described the development as the end of a dangerous chapter, stating: “Today an evil man is dead. It’s over.”

No officers were injured during the operation. As is standard procedure, the shooting will be subject to an independent investigation.

The manhunt began after the fatal shooting of two senior constables, Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart, who had attended Freeman’s property on 26 August as part of an investigation into alleged sex offences.

Police said the families of the slain officers were informed first about the outcome of the operation. Formal identification of the deceased is still pending, though authorities say confirmation is expected within 24 to 48 hours.

If confirmed, officials say the development will bring a measure of closure to a case that has deeply affected the local community and law enforcement agencies.