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 PorepunkahFugitive Dezi Freeman, the man allegedly responsible for the shooting deaths of two officers at Porepunkah, has been killed after a seven-month long manhunt in rural Victoria.Victorian police announced on Monday that a man had been shot shortly after 8.30am.“A man has been fatally shot by police at a property in north east Victoria this morning as part of the operation to locate Desmond Freeman,” the statement said.“No police officers were injured during the incident. The State Coroner will attend the scene and the investigation will be oversighted by Professional Standards Command, as per standard process for a police shooting.”Police are expected to give more information during a press conference scheduled for 11am.Wayne Gatt, secretary of the Police Association Victoria, confirmed that the man shot dead on Monday was Dezi Freeman.“Our members said they would find him. They did,” Gatt said in a statement.“Closure isn’t the right word. This represents a step forward for our members, for the families of our fallen members and for the community. It doesn’t lessen the trauma, give back the futures that were callously stolen or lessen the collective fear and grief that this tragic event has instilled in police and the wider public.”Police have been searching for Dezi Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby, since 26 August when he allegedly shot and killed Det Leading Sen Const Neal Thompson, 59, and Sen Const Vadim De Waart, 35, and injured a third officer at a property in Porepunkah.The two police officers had been part of a group of 10 police – made up of local officers and members of the sexual offences and child abuse investigation team – who entered the property, about 300km north-east of Melbourne in rural Victoria, on 26 August to serve a search warrant before allegedly being fired upon by Freeman.Freeman, a 56-year-old with a history of association with pseudolaw or “sovereign citizen” ideology, allegedly fled into the bush heavily armed, with a weeks-long manhunt ensuing.More details soon …