Police swarmed to the shooting scene near the town of Porepunkah in Victoria's northeast. Photo / Jason Edwards, NewsWire
The family of a heavily armed self-proclaimed sovereign citizen who is accused of killing two police officers “in cold blood” have been found.
It was feared that the partner and children of 56-year-old Dezi Freeman were with him as a massive manhunt took place. He has yet to be found.
The officers came under fire while serving a warrant for alleged historic child sex abuse at a property in Porepunkah, about 300km northeast of Melbourne, on Tuesday morning.
The two officers who were killed were a 59-year-old detective and a 35-year-old senior constable. Another detective was injured, but his injuries are not life-threatening, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said.
He said the shooting was over in “minutes”.
“They were met by the offender. They were murdered in cold blood,” Bush told reporters in Wangaratta.
The alleged gunman has been identified as Freeman, a sovereign citizen conspiracy theorist who has harboured hatred for police and authorities.
Freeman remains on the run from the police, and his wife and children had not been accounted for.
But late on Tuesday, Victoria Police said Freeman’s family members had made contact with authorities.
“Police have accounted for the whereabouts of the suspect’s family with his partner and children attending a police station this evening.
“There is nothing to suggest they were ever in the company of the suspect following today’s incident.”
Bush said the heavily armed suspect was pursued into the bush by other officers, but “was able to get away”.
“In terms of the current situation, the suspect for this horrific event is still at large,” he added.
“We believe he is armed. We have deployed every specialist resource into this area to locate you.
“We have hundreds of police resources assigned to this very important task.”
Sources said they had been searching an abandoned bus at the property when they were shot.
Bush confirmed he had access to “lethal weapons” but could not say if he had taken the officers’ weapons.
Bush said he was “obviously a very dangerous person and he needs to be caught”.
He said the alleged gunman was “known to police” and 10 officers attended the residence to execute the warrant following a “robust” risk assessment. He would not say what the warrant was for.
The commissioner declined to reveal the names of the dead officers at this stage, and encouraged all locals to remain indoors while the hunt for Freeman continued.
“My message to that person is give yourself up so that the community can be at peace and we can have this matter resolved peacefully.”
Bush was notably the New Zealand Police Commissioner during the Christchurch massacre in 2019, where a shooter opened fire at a mosque, killing 51 people.
Colleagues of the three detectives rushed to the scene and rescued the surviving officer, who was seriously injured and undergoing emergency care.
Ambulance Victoria said the wounded officer was seriously injured and flown to hospital in a stable condition.
Specialist police are currently working to locate the perpetrator of what the association described as “senseless violence”.
NSW Police on the Albury/Wodonga border are on standby.
Alpine Shire Mayor Sarah Nicholas posted a video message in which she said it had been a day of “deep sorrow and shock”.
She added: “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the two police officers tragically killed in Porepunkah.
“Our thoughts, love, and unwavering support are with you during this incredibly painful time.”
The NSW Police Association said in a statement that officers in NSW and across the nation are shocked and saddened by the alleged “callous murder” of the two officers and the serious wounding of the other.
President of the Police Federation of Australia, Kevin Morton, said he had been briefed by the leadership of the Police Association of Victoria.
“I have received a briefing from the leadership of the Police Association of Victoria and offered the support of police officers from around the country,” Morton, who is also the NSW Police Association president, said.
“The situation remains dynamic and police officers continue to put themselves at significant risk to protect the community and bring this circumstance to a safe conclusion.”
He added it was a timely reminder before National Police Remembrance Day that “all members of the community take a moment to pause and reflect on the sacrifice that every police officer risks making, every day of their working life”.
Morton also pointed to the murders of officers in Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania in recent years, warning that “any extreme ideology, access to weapons and hatred or dislike for police is too often playing out in attacks on police”.
“When they are combined, the outcome can be deadly.”
The association acknowledged the toll the tragedy would take on the wellbeing of police across the country and urged members to reach out for support services where needed.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “Our thoughts are with the police for the work they do, each and every day.”
“The men and women who wear our uniform, wear the uniform of the police force take risks each and every day.”
Heavily armed officers from the Special Operations Group have been deployed to the region, which sits at the base of Mt Buffalo in Victoria’s alpine area.
Porepunkah residents have been told to stay indoors.
Porepunkah Primary School – just 800m from the incident – was placed in lockdown, with students remaining indoors until authorities declare it safe.
Premier Jacinta Allan issued a statement urging residents to follow police officers’ advice and avoid the area.
“I have been briefed by the chief commissioner of Victoria Police. This situation remains active,” Allan said.
UPDATE: Victoria Police continues to respond to an incident at a property in Porepunkah.
— Victoria Police (@VictoriaPolice) August 26, 2025
This is still an active incident and we will provide more information when it's operationally safe to do so.
We ask people avoid the area.
“Victoria Police officers, and all our first responders, show extraordinary bravery and courage every single day.
“They are the best of us and the thoughts of all Victorians are with them today.”
Victoria Police confirmed the situation was still “active” at midday and urged residents to avoid the area.
Alpine Shire Council has closed all council facilities including all transfer stations, libraries and visitor information centres and depots across the shire, council’s customer service centre in Bright, and the Bright sports centre.
The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) released a statement saying it extended its “deepest thoughts to the officers, families, and colleagues” of those affected.
“Reports confirm that one officer has been wounded, and two others are believed to be deceased after police executed a warrant at a rural property.
“This is an active and unfolding situation, with emergency services working tirelessly to secure the area and keep the community safe.”
AFPA president Alex Caruana said it was a reminder of the risk officers faced every day in keeping the community safe.
“Policing is dangerous and unpredictable work, and what has happened in Porepunkah is a reminder of the risks officers face every day in keeping the community safe,” Mr Caruana said.
“We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our TPAV and Victoria Police colleagues and their loved ones as more details emerge.”
The incident follows similar incidents in Wieambilla, Queensland, North Motton in Tasmania and Bordertown, South Australia, where police officers were shot dead at isolated properties.
Tasmanian Constable Keith Anthony Smith, 57, was fatally shot as he and a colleague attended a rural address to serve a court warrant to repossess the rural home in June.
SA Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig, 53, was shot dead when he and two other officers were called to an isolated rural property in the town of Senior, 15km north of Bordertown, in November 2023.
Queensland Constables Rachel McCrow, 29, and Matthew Arnold, 26, were murdered after they attended the Wieambilla property of Gareth Train and his wife, Stacey, while performing a welfare check for Gareth’s brother, Nathaniel Train, in December 2022.
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