Dezi Freeman police shooting and manhunt conclusion in Victoria
Consensus Summary
Dezi Freeman, a self-described sovereign citizen, was fatally shot by Victoria Police on Monday, August 26, 2024, after a seven-month manhunt that began following his alleged shooting deaths of two police officers and injury of a third on August 26, 2025, at his Porepunkah property. Freeman was found hiding in a converted shipping container at a remote property in Thologolong, about 100 kilometers northeast of Porepunkah, near the NSW border. The standoff lasted approximately three hours, with police attempting to negotiate his surrender before he emerged with a firearm and was shot dead. The property owner, Richard Sutherland, had no knowledge of Freemanâs presence and was living in Tasmania at the time. The manhunt involved over 450 police officers, multiple jurisdictions, and a $1 million reward for information leading to Freemanâs arrest. Police believe Freeman was assisted by others during his time on the run, and investigations are ongoing to identify those involved. The incident has brought mixed emotions to the community, with relief at the conclusion of the manhunt but also grief for Freemanâs family and the families of the slain officers. The shooting is being investigated by the state coroner and Professional Standards Command, with a coronial inquest expected to follow.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Dezi Freeman (aka Desmond Filby), 56, was fatally shot by Victoria Police on Monday, August 26, 2024, at a property in Thologolong, Victoriaâs northeast, after a seven-month manhunt.
- Freeman allegedly shot and killed Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson (59) and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart (35) on August 26, 2025, at a property in Porepunkah, 300km northeast of Melbourne, while executing a search warrant for historical sexual offences.
- A third police officer was seriously injured during the August 26 shootings at Porepunkah.
- The manhunt involved over 450 Victoria Police officers, Australian Defence Force members, Australian Federal Police, and officers from other states, with a $1 million reward offered for information leading to Freemanâs arrest.
- Freeman was found hiding in a converted shipping container at a property on Murray River Road, Thologolong, about 100km from Porepunkah, near the NSW border.
- The standoff with Freeman lasted approximately three hours, with police attempting to negotiate his surrender before he emerged with a firearm and was shot dead.
- The property owner, Richard Sutherland, was not aware Freeman was living there and had been living in Tasmania for months.
- The state coroner and Professional Standards Command are investigating the shooting, and the incident is being examined as part of a coronial inquest.
- Freeman was a self-described 'sovereign citizen' with a history of hostility toward police and the judicial system.
- The shooting occurred shortly after 8:30 AM on Monday, August 26, 2024, with no police officers injured during the incident.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Chief Commissioner Mike Bush stated Freeman was given multiple opportunities to surrender peacefully but refused, and police believe he was armed with a weapon taken from one of the officers he killed.
- Bush mentioned that police had seen video footage of Freeman leaving the building and presenting a firearm at officers, which justified the shooting.
- The Guardian reported that Freemanâs wife, Amalia Freeman, was arrested and questioned but later released without charge for obstructing police.
- The Guardian highlighted that locals in Porepunkah felt a 'big relief' following Freemanâs death, with tourism in the area returning to normal.
- The article emphasized that Freeman was living in a 'squalid spot' with a camp stove, pots, and a single plate, indicating he had been there for some time.
- It mentioned that Freeman was wrapped in a blanket when he exited the container and fired a handgun believed to belong to one of the officers he killed.
- The article included a statement from the Police Association Victoria that Freemanâs death was a 'step forward' but did not lessen the trauma for the community.
- ABC reported that Freeman was found in a 'ramshackle collection of converted shipping containers, rusting caravans, and car bodies' at the property.
- The ABC detailed that Freemanâs son, Koah, posted a scathing social media message expressing grief and anger at online reactions to his fatherâs death.
- ABC noted that the property where Freeman was found was near a firebreak area affected by a massive bushfire in January 2024, which burned 120,914 hectares.
- The ABC reported that Freemanâs wife, Amalia, and their teenage son were arrested and questioned but later released.
- ABC included a timeline of key events in the manhunt, including the initial shootings, the lockdown of Porepunkah, and the targeted searches with cadaver dogs.
- The Age reported that the owner of the property, Richard Sutherland, contacted police after learning about the siege while living in Tasmania and offered to be interviewed.
- The Age detailed that Freemanâs hideout was near a firebreak area where firefighters had been active, suggesting Freeman may have been near firefighters during the January 2024 bushfire.
- The Age mentioned that Freemanâs death was a 'sad ending' to a story that had already been tragic, with family members believing he was likely dead after vanishing into the bush.
- The Age included a description of the property as having 'a whole heap of crap' and being left in a 'bit of a mess' due to the ownerâs illness.
- The SMH reported that Freeman was found in a 'squalid bush encampment' with no running water or electricity, and that the property was near a heavily wooded national park.
- The SMH detailed that Freeman was living in a camp with a gas-powered camping stove, pots, and solar panels, indicating he had been there for some time.
- The SMH mentioned that the property was near Kennedys Reserve, where campers and fishers had been unaware of Freemanâs presence nearby.
- News.com.au reported that Freeman was living in a 'cross between a shipping container and a very long caravan' and that he was found with a firearm hidden under a blanket.
- The article included a quote from a criminal psychologist stating that Freeman showed 'utter contempt' for law and order by refusing to surrender and choosing to die in a shootout.
- SBS reported that Chief Commissioner Mike Bush described the operation as bringing 'closure to everyone involved' and that Freemanâs death was an 'inglorious blaze'.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian and ABC both report Freeman was found in a converted shipping container, but the Guardian describes it as a 'cross between a shipping container and a caravan,' while ABC and SMH describe it as a 'ramshackle collection of converted shipping containers, rusting caravans, and car bodies' with no specific mention of a caravan.
- The Guardian and ABC both mention Freeman was given opportunities to surrender peacefully, but the Guardian states Freeman was given 'every opportunity' while ABC and The Age do not specify the exact number of opportunities or the exact wording used by police.
- The Guardian and ABC both report Freeman was armed with a firearm when he emerged, but the Guardian does not specify if it was a police-issue weapon, while ABC and The Age explicitly state it was a service pistol taken from one of the officers he killed.
- The Guardian and ABC both mention Freeman was found near the NSW border, but the Guardian states it was 'less than 1km from the NSW border,' while ABC and The Age state it was 'about 100km from the NSW border' and 'near the border with NSW,' respectively.
- The Guardian and ABC both report Freeman was found in Thologolong, but the Guardian mentions 'Murray River Road' while ABC and The Age mention 'Murray River Road' and 'Thologolong' interchangeably, with no clear contradiction but slight variations in phrasing.
Source Articles
Australiaâs most high-profile manhunt ended in a sleepy high country farming community. But how did Dezi Freeman get to Thologolong?
Until they heard the gunshots, locals say they had no idea the 56-year-old fugitive had been hiding out next door In Thologolong, a small mark on the map in the Victorian high country, the sky is clea...
Who is Dezi Freeman and what did he do? What to know about the Australian fugitive shot dead by Victoria police
56-year-old âsovereign citizenâ had been on the run after allegedly killing two police officers at Porepunkah in Australian alpine region in August Live updates: Australian fugitive Dezi Freeman shot ...
A tip-off before a shootout: How Dezi Freemanâs seven-month run came to an end
This was not a manhunt that ended in a high-speed chase. Instead, it arrived with a surreal, desperate confrontation at a rural property in the stateâs northeast....
What we know about where Dezi Freeman made his last stand
The rural property where police finally caught up with the fugitive gunman was a good place to disappear....
Dezi Freeman shot dead by police after seven-month-long manhunt â video
Victorian police have confirmed that fugitive Dezi Freeman has been killed after a manhunt lasting seven months in rural Victoria . Freeman, who police say did not surrender peacefully, is allegedly r...
Dezi Freeman shooting live updates: Victoria police to give update on Australian fugitive shot dead after months-long manhunt
Porepunkah fugitive, 56, had been on the run after allegedly killing two police officers in Australian alpine region in August Full story: Dezi Freeman shot dead by police Get our breaking news email ...
âUtter contemptâ: Cop killerâs final act
After seven months on the run, the double cop-killer made one final choice that revealed his utter contempt for everyone involved....
Dezi Freemanâs short stay at remote property betrayed by inner circle
Police believe the double killer had not been at his remote bush hideout long before a tip-off led them to his location....
What we know about the shooting of Dezi Freeman - podcast
Fugitive Dezi Freeman, the man allegedly responsible for the shooting deaths of two officers at Porepunkah, has been killed after a seven-month manhunt in rural Victoria. Reged Ahmad speaks to justice...
An isolated property, a morning standoff and an armed fugitive: Dezi Freemanâs final hours
Freeman is understood to have emerged from his hideout cloaked in a blanket or doona, which he dropped to reveal a weapon Dezi Freeman vanished in the mountain fog. Now heâs been shot dead â but many ...
Dezi Freeman shot dead by police
One of Australiaâs biggest manhunts for alleged cop killer Dezi Freeman has ended months after the attack that shocked the nation....
A tip-off before a shootout: How Dezi Freemanâs seven-month run came to an end
This was not a manhunt that ended in a high-speed chase. Instead, it arrived with a surreal, desperate confrontation at a rural property in the stateâs northeast....
Owner of property where Dezi Freeman died goes to police
Richard Sutherland has told friends he had no sympathy for the police killer and had no clue anyone was staying on his land....
Seven months ago, Dezi Freeman vanished in the mountain fog. Now heâs been shot dead â but many questions remain
The âsovereign citizenâ who killed two police officers had left in his wake a haze of rumours and misinformation Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast It seemed that Dezi Freema...
Dezi Freemanâs final days and the clues that could lead police to his helpers
More than 24 hours before they confronted a double police killer, the Special Operations Group moved into their go positions and lay in wait, using electronic surveillance to confirm their fugitive wa...
The troubled 'sovereign citizen' who became a notorious police killer
Before Dezi Freeman's death brought an end to a long manhunt, his friends say he was a troubled and divisive figure who was drawn to the anti-authority "sovereign citizen" movement....
Inside the squalid bush encampment where Dezi Freeman died
Two hoursâ drive from where he murdered two police, the fugitive was in hiding on a bush block without running water or electricity....
Two shootings, 150km apart: Dezi Freeman's final destination mystifies locals
The fugitive resurfaced more than 150 kilometres away from the town where he shot and killed two police officers seven months ago. Mystified locals are questioning how....
Dezi Freeman: Person who tipped off police about cop killer up for $1 million reward
After seven months on the run, it all might have come down to one tip-off....
Squalid spot where Freeman was found
Images have revealed a glimpse into the final days before cop killer Dezi Freeman was gunned down in Victoriaâs largest manhunt in history....
Live: Porepunkah shooter Dezi Freeman shot dead by police
The 56-year-old had been a fugitive since a shooting at his property that killed two police officers....
âItâs really polarised the populationâ: amid a police search for Dezi Freemanâs helpers, some sympathy towards the double-murderer remains
Police say anyone who helped the 56-year-old fugitive, who allegedly killed two police officers, âwill be held to accountâ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news ...
The day Porepunkah went quiet and learned Dezi Freeman was dead
Seven months after a gunman killed two police officers on its streets, the tiny town woke to news that Dezi Freeman was dead....
Dezi Freeman shot dead by police more than seven months after Porepunkah shooting
The fugitive was shot at a rural property on Monday morning, police said....
Police continue hunt for anyone who assisted fugitive Dezi Freeman
Police say they will come down hard on anyone who helped Dezi Freeman, who was shot dead by police yesterday after a massive seven-month manhunt....
After two days, police formally identify Dezi Freeman as man shot dead
Victoria Police have officially confirmed that the person shot dead by officers at a property in Victoria's north-east on Monday morning was fugitive Dezi Freeman....
Inside the squalid bush encampment where Dezi Freeman died
Two hoursâ drive from where he murdered two police, the fugitive was in hiding on a bush block without running water or electricity....
The key moments in the long search for a police killer
Dezi Freeman fatally shot two officers and injured a third before he vanished into remote bushland. Here is what we know about the events leading up to the fatal shooting â and the months-long manhunt...
Video reveals Freemanâs deadly final act
Victoriaâs top cop has shed major details behind the shooting of fugitive Dezi Freeman, after he was shot dead by police officers after months on the run....
Dezi Freeman killed in 'developing situation' at property in Victoria
Freeman had been wanted since last August over the fatal shooting of two police officers at Porepunkah....
Dezi Freeman: what we know about the three-hour siege that led to the fugitive's death â video
Fugitive Dezi Freeman, the man allegedly responsible for the shooting deaths of two police officers at Porepunkah, has been shot by police after a seven-month manhunt in rural Victoria. The Victoria p...
Dezi Freeman shot dead by police after seven-month-long manhunt
Shooting occurred at a property in north-east Victoria after major manhunt for 56-year-old, who allegedly killed two police officers in Porepunkah Live updates: Australian fugitive Dezi Freeman shot d...