Porepunkah property owner Andrew Swift breaks silence on Dezi Freeman shooting aftermath
Consensus Summary
The three articles cover the first public statements from Andrew Swift, the owner of the Porepunkah property where Dezi Freeman shot and killed two police officers on August 26, 2025. Swift described finding a critically injured officer with a gunshot wound to the lower body and attempting to assist by arranging transport. Freeman, who lived on the Swiftsâ 20-acre bush block, fled into the bush and was killed by police in March 2026 after a seven-month manhunt. The Swifts, who allowed Freeman and others to reside on their property, spoke through YouTuber Dave Armstrongâs platform, expressing distrust of mainstream media and concerns about police conduct during the operation. A coronial inquest into the shooting is scheduled for May 2026, with police declining further comment as the matter is under investigation. The articles also note that charges against Freemanâs wife, Mali, were not pursued due to insufficient evidence, and Swift previously avoided an obstruction charge for similar reasons.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Andrew Swift, 56, is the owner of the Rayner Track (Porepunkah) property where Dezi Freeman shot and killed two police officers on August 26, 2025.
- The two officers killed were Detective Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 35.
- Swift described finding a wounded officer with a gunshot to the lower body, covered in blood, and attempted to assist by fetching a more suitable vehicle for transport.
- Dezi Freeman fled into the bush after the shooting and was shot dead by police in a confrontation on March 30, 2026, after a seven-month manhunt.
- The Swifts (Andrew and Rebecca) allowed Freeman and others to live on their 20-acre bush block.
- The interview with Andrew Swift was conducted by YouTuber Dave Armstrong and released on his 'Living Free Movement' platform.
- A coronial inquest into the shooting is scheduled for later this month (May 2026).
- Victoria Police confirmed they would not pursue charges against Freemanâs wife, Mali, due to insufficient evidence.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Andrew Swift previously dodged a potential obstruction charge due to 'insufficient evidence'.
- Dave Armstrong claimed the Swifts had a distrust for mainstream media, particularly regarding the sovereign citizen movement, and faced intimidation from Victorian police.
- The Herald Sun previously reported on Swiftâs obstruction charge case.
- Police confirmed that briefs of evidence were prepared by Taskforce Summit but not authorized due to insufficient evidence to prosecute Freemanâs wife, Mali.
- The inquest into the shooting will be held this month (May 2026).
- The video is a short preview of a longer interview expected to be released over the weekend (May 2026).
- The Swifts raised concerns about police operation conduct in a statement obtained by The Age, stating the outcome 'would have been far less likely to have occurred if protocol and commonsense had been employed'.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Article 1 and 2 mention Andrew Swift was the only eyewitness outside of police and Freemanâs family, but Article 3 does not explicitly state this, only that he was an eyewitness.
- Article 1 states the Swifts had gone to ground since Freeman fled, while Article 2 and 3 describe them as having remained silent until now, without mentioning 'going to ground'.
Source Articles
Owner of property where Dezi Freeman murdered two cops breaks silence
The owner of the remote Porepunkah property where Dezi Freeman shot dead two police officers has broken his silence, revealing what he found in the moments after the cold-blooded killings.
Freeman property owner breaks silence
The owner of the remote property where Dezi Freeman lived has revealed for the first time how he helped a critically injured officer in the chaotic aftermath of the fatal police shooting.
Property owner says he helped wounded officer after Dezi Freeman shot at police
A Porepunkah property owner says he helped a wounded police officer after the fatal shooting when Dezi Freeman killed two Victoria police officers.