Two men have been arrested in connection to Porepunkah shooter Dezi Freeman’s months on the run after he killed two police officers.
Police on Tuesday said detectives had arrested the men – aged 48 and 35 – at two separate locations in north-east Victoria as part of Operation Summit, the investigation into Freeman’s movements after the shootings at Porepunkah.
“The pair will now be interviewed by police,” police said.
“The investigation remains ongoing and as such, we are not in a position to provide further details at this immediate time.”
Freeman shot and killed Det Leading Sen Const Neal Thompson, 59, and Sen Const Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 35, and injured a third officer at a property in Porepunkah in August.
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 210km north-east of Melbourne, 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, and a high-profile manhunt began.
The seven-month search for Freeman ended when he died after being shot by police on a remote property in Thologolong, near Walwa on the Victoria-New South Wales border, on 30 March.
The arrests come a day after the coroner’s court held two separate directions hearings – looking at the deaths of the two police officers and the final shootout involving Freeman.
There are no set dates for either, although both could take place next year.
State coroner Liberty Sanger heard the officers had arrived at Freeman’s property on 26 August to execute the search warrant after receiving disclosure of an alleged sexual assault involving a child under the age of 16, as well as an attempt to involve a child in the production of child abuse material.
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In Australia, children, young adults, parents and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800; adult survivors can seek help at Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380. In the UK, the NSPCC offers support to children on 0800 1111, and adults concerned about a child on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331. In the US, call or text the Childhelp abuse hotline on 800-422-4453. Other sources of help can be found at Child Helpline International
