Australian police battle wintry weather in manhunt for heavily armed gunman
Australian police faced challenging wintry conditions on Wednesday as they searched alpine bushland in Victoria for 56-year-old Dezi Freeman, who allegedly shot dead two officers and injured another at a rural property in Porepunkah.
Freeman, a bushcraft expert armed with multiple firearms, fled on foot into dense terrain after the attack, making the manhunt difficult for authorities, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The victims were identified as Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, with a 38-year police career, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35, who joined the force in 2018. Police confirmed Freeman’s family is safe amid reports he had taken hostages. Freeman, described as Caucasian, 183 cm tall with dark hair, is believed to hold “sovereign citizen” views and has a history of challenging government authority and COVID-19 lockdown measures. Authorities have urged local residents to stay indoors while the search continues.
Similar news
