Shock, sadness and relief in town at centre of Australia's seven-month manhunt for Dezi Freeman

The Australian town has been in the spotlight since Dezi Freeman shot dead two police officers last year.

Australian police fatally shot a man believed to be Dezi Freeman, 56, after a three-hour standoff near Thologolong, northeast of Melbourne. Freeman had been on the run for seven months after allegedly killing two police officers and seriously injuring another during an attempted warrant service near Porepunkah in August 2025.

A man accused of killing two police officers in Australia and seriously wounding a third has been shot dead by officers following a seven-month manhunt. Dezi Freeman, 56, allegedly opened fire on police officers who came to serve a warrant at his home near Porepunkah, in the Victoria state northeast of Melbourne, on August 26 last year.

Australian police have shot dead a fugitive gunman who had been on the run since August after allegedly killing two officers in the state of Victoria, Australian media reported on Monday. Police had been hunting for Dezi Freeman, previously known as Desmond Filby, since the shooting on a rural property that also injured a third officer.

Victoria Police have shot dead a man believed to be fugitive gunman Dezi Freeman at a rural property in the state’s north-east. He was reportedly shot shortly after 8.30 this morning following a three-hour stand off. Victoria Police is yet to officially confirm the identity of the man but mainstream media understands it was Freeman who has been on the run since the fatal shooting of two police officers last August.

A fugitive accused of killing two police officers is believed to have been shot dead, Australian police have said. Dezi Freeman, 56, was on the run for seven months after allegedly killing two officers in a remote town in Victoria state. On Monday, police said they believed he was engaged in a three-hour standoff inside a rural property northeast of Victoria.

Australian police concluded a seven-month manhunt by fatally shooting Dezi Freeman, accused of killing two officers. The operation involved over 450 officers and concluded in the remote Walwa area.

Australian police fatally shot Dezi Freeman, previously known as Desmond Filby, after an extensive search lasting over two months. Freeman had opened fire on police officers in August 2025, injuring a third officer before escaping into Mount Buffalo National Park.

One of the largest manhunts in Australian history ended when police fatally shot Dezi Freeman, a self-proclaimed 'sovereign citizen' who had been hiding for seven months after allegedly killing two police officers in rural Victoria.

Australian police fatally shot a man believed to be Dezi Freeman after a three-hour standoff near Thologolong, Victoria. Freeman had been on the run for seven months after allegedly killing two police officers in August 2025.