Two police officers who were shot dead while on duty in a rural Australian town have been named, as a massive search continues for their alleged killer. Victoria Police identified the victims as 59-year-old Detective Neal Thompson—a local officer on the brink of retirement—and 35-year-old Senior Constable Vadim De Waart.
The pair had traveled to the property in Porepunkah, north-east of Melbourne, alongside eight colleagues to execute a warrant for alleged sexual offences. Another officer was seriously injured in the shootout but is recovering after surgery.
Police say the suspect—named as local man Dezi Freeman, 56—is heavily armed and 'still at large' more than 24 hours on.
Thompson joined the force in 1987 and worked with the major fraud and crime squads before moving to the town of Wangaratta in 2007. A great lover of the outdoors, he was planning for his imminent retirement.
De Waart was temporarily posted to Wangaratta, but lived in Melbourne, where the avid traveler had moved from Belgium.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said the 'devastating loss' struck at the heart of both the policing family and the Porepunkah community.
'It is not lost on me that our members take a risk every time they go to work to protect the Victorian community,' he remarked.
Authorities are conducting an intensive search for Freeman, with helicopters and armoured vehicles scouring the dense bushland near where he escaped. The situation has raised concerns within the community, with Bush assuring residents to stay indoors until the threat is neutralized.
Local witnesses describe the conditions as akin to finding 'a needle in a haystack,' emphasizing the tough terrain law enforcement must navigate. As the search progresses, questions about how authorities deal with extremist views have re-emerged.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted that this incident bears resemblance to a 2022 police ambush in Queensland, urging for heightened vigilance.
The pair had traveled to the property in Porepunkah, north-east of Melbourne, alongside eight colleagues to execute a warrant for alleged sexual offences. Another officer was seriously injured in the shootout but is recovering after surgery.
Police say the suspect—named as local man Dezi Freeman, 56—is heavily armed and 'still at large' more than 24 hours on.
Thompson joined the force in 1987 and worked with the major fraud and crime squads before moving to the town of Wangaratta in 2007. A great lover of the outdoors, he was planning for his imminent retirement.
De Waart was temporarily posted to Wangaratta, but lived in Melbourne, where the avid traveler had moved from Belgium.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said the 'devastating loss' struck at the heart of both the policing family and the Porepunkah community.
'It is not lost on me that our members take a risk every time they go to work to protect the Victorian community,' he remarked.
Authorities are conducting an intensive search for Freeman, with helicopters and armoured vehicles scouring the dense bushland near where he escaped. The situation has raised concerns within the community, with Bush assuring residents to stay indoors until the threat is neutralized.
Local witnesses describe the conditions as akin to finding 'a needle in a haystack,' emphasizing the tough terrain law enforcement must navigate. As the search progresses, questions about how authorities deal with extremist views have re-emerged.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted that this incident bears resemblance to a 2022 police ambush in Queensland, urging for heightened vigilance.
