Heavy gunfire at a rural property in Porepunkah on Tuesday has left two police officers dead and another wounded. It is believed that police were attending the property to serve a warrant when they were shot at in what appears to have been an ambush. Two police officers have died, and one officer has been transported to hospital by air ambulance with an upper leg wound.
Police have now released the names of the two officers killed: Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart.
The alleged gunman, 56-year-old Dezi Freeman fled into the bush after the shooting and remains at large. Porepunkah locals were being advised to remain inside their homes, with authorities requesting that people not visit the area.
Mr Freeman is believed to identify as a ‘sovereign citizen’ - a radicalised anti-government community that follows conspiracy theories – and in the past has expressed intense hatred for police in online posts and video footage. In 2021 he was arrested while protesting outside a courthouse as part of an anti-government fringe group’s attempt to privately prosecute then-premier Daniel Andrews for treason. Several other arrests are on record and police have previously seized weapons from Mr Freeman.
When police attended the property at Porepunkah to deliver the warrant they had conducted a risk assessment, checking prior convictions and records of Mr Freeman’s previous behaviour. The risk level of this warrant service was clearly determined to be high, resulting in 10 police officers being assigned to the task.
There is a currently a massive police presence in the Porepunkah area as they continue to search for Mr Freeman. NSW Police have sent extra resources across the border to assist their Victorian colleagues.