Loud bangs heard, as police reveal identities of cops allegedly killed by fugitive Dezi Freeman
As bad weather closes in, those pursuing alleged double cop killer Dezi Freeman know it could take days before police are able to flush out a man with nothing to lose. Now they have named his alleged victims.
A senior detective on the cusp of retirement and a young constable on temporary assignment were the two police victims of the Porepunkah ambush as elite special operations officers try to trap the accused killer before he strikes again.
Killed were Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, a 38-year Victoria Police veteran, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35, who joined the force in 2018.
The men have been hailed by colleagues as heroes after being allegedly gunned down by Dezi Bird Freeman in a firefight on Tuesday morning that also seriously injured a third officer. Mr Thompson was described as an adventurous outdoorsman and veteran detective based at nearby Wangaratta in northeast Victoria, having worked as a fraud and state crime detective in Melbourne.
Mr De Waart, whose parents live in Belgium, was described as an optimist, traveller and gin collector who was fluent in four languages.
Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said the deaths by gunfire would be investigated until justice was delivered.
“This devastating loss of Neal and Vadim has struck at the heart of Victoria Police, the broader policing family and the community of Porepunkah,’’ he said.
“In the coming days, weeks and months, we will all grieve this loss and deeply miss our colleagues and friends who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.’’
His comments came as Freeman, 56, a so-called sovereign citizen opposed to the rule of law, was being hunted for a second night, with a police helicopter on Wednesday afternoon circling an area near the crime scene, less than 4km from Porepunkah, a town of about 1000 people.
Multiple ambulances, including a helicopter, were rushed to the area, about 315km northeast of Melbourne, which is known for its thick, often inaccessible bush below Mt Buffalo. Low-lying clouds hampered police helicopters.
Freeman is an experienced bushman who is heavily armed; locals believe he is a deer hunter and had become increasingly obsessed with fighting the political, legal and police establishments.
There is speculation he will be prepared for the conflict and may have stored food and weapons in the event of him being pursued; his house was raided by 10 police over alleged sex offences, the details of which have not been revealed.
Police said in a statement that Mr Thompson was closing in on retirement after a lifetime of public service.
“Neal was an adventurer and enjoyed all things outdoors. He loved getting out in nature, and his friends and colleagues regularly joined him on these trips,’’ the statement said.
“Neal had spent the past six years alongside his partner, Lisa, the love of his life. Since the pair met, Neal had found new purpose and was planning in earnest for his imminent retirement. Together with Lisa, Neal had built a new home and had a long list of tasks planned after he knocked off work for the last time.’’
Police said Mr De Waart started his career at the Victoria Police Academy in December 2018.
“Following his training, Vadim joined St Kilda police station where he worked for three years, before joining the Public Order Response Team as a senior constable in April 2023,’’ it said.
“An eternal optimist and avid traveller, Vadim was fluent in French, Spanish, Flemish and English. He had also completed scuba dives all around the world and motorcycling trips more locally with his friends and colleagues.
“Vadim is survived by his beloved parents, Carolina and Alain, who live in his native Belgium, and his younger brother, Sacha, who lives in Switzerland.”
Two loud bangs – possibly stun grenades – were heard near the scene of the Porepunkah ambush.
Police formed a roadblock between Porepunkah and Freeman’s house, while black armoured vehicles from the Special Operations Group rolled back into Rayner Track, the site of Tuesday’s deadly shootings.
Overhead, the police helicopter was circling above as the complex and fraught hunt continued. Police said a no-fly zone with a 7.5km radius had been established above Feathertop Winery on the Great Alpine Road, near Porepunkah
Freeman is being pursued mostly by Special Operations Group officers, highly skilled tactical police known informally in the force as the Sons of God. Locals say Freeman would know the bush well, or at least have a decent understanding of where he could hide and source food and water.
The bush Freeman fled into is below Mt Buffalo; it is steep, has several water sources and is filled with rocky outcrops, caves and other potential places to hide, and can be a very cold location.
Heavy rain is forecast in the area for the next two days, which means Freeman will have to seek cover; a cave would make it almost impossible for police to use thermal imaging to locate him.
Hiding in a shed is another option but that carries added risks.
“He knows that area, even though we have experts in the area, he will know that area better than us,’’ Mr Bush said.
“So, that’s why we’re putting in every expert and supported by local knowledge as well.
“Our understanding of him is he understands bushcraft well, which provides a challenge for us, but we keep an absolutely open mind on what options are open to him, and those options will inform our approach.”
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan on Wednesday conveyed her sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of the dead.
“These two police officers were also men who were brothers and sons and fathers, active members of their community,” she said.
Prominent landmarks across Victoria were set to light up in blue on Wednesday evening with flags on government buildings to be flown at half mast. WA Premier Roger Cook said the state’s police force was closely monitoring so-called sovereign citizens in the state that had been identified as potentially dangerous.
