Neal was two weeks from retirement. Vadim was one week into a bush stint. Then they were gunned down

They represented two different stages of a career with Victoria Police: the seasoned detective, about to retire, and a senior constable still soaking up valuable on-the-job experience.

One was an outdoorsman who loved his hunting and fishing, and the other an ambitious city-dweller on secondment in north-east Victoria.

Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart, 34, were identified on Wednesday as the two police officers killed in Tuesday’s shooting near the town of Porepunkah.

Both were allegedly shot dead by conspiracy theorist Dezi Freeman, 56, at a vast rural property in the state’s alpine region while trying to execute a search warrant.

Thompson, who joined the force in September 1987 and was due to retire next month, was an avid hunter and outdoorsman who was assigned to serve the warrant because he had previously dealt with Freeman and had established a rapport.

The 59-year-old, who was previously involved in drug busts but had been most recently working for Wangaratta’s sexual offences and child abuse investigation team, was the first officer to knock on a door at the property on Tuesday, according to police sources. Those sources said Freeman ambushed Thompson and shot him with a shotgun.

Police are generally eligible for retirement when they reach the age of 60.

Thompson was remembered on Wednesday as an adventurer and lover of the outdoors. One friend, who asked not to be named, said he was due to retire in just two weeks and had been looking forward to tending to his hobby farm and a month-long trek in South America.

“Neal was the centre of most of our fishing and hunting trips,” the friend said. “The nucleus that brought us all together.

“If fate was going to fall upon someone, it surely wouldn’t have been a man of his character. He was larger than life.”

The second victim, de Waart, was on secondment in north-east Victoria and had only been in the region for a week, according to police sources. He was previously part of Melbourne’s public order response team – a position he earned in April 2023 after a three-year stint at St Kilda police station.

The 34-year-old, from Belgium, moved to Australia as an adult and had been with Victoria Police for just over five years. He spoke several languages including French, Dutch and Spanish. He was also a keen scuba diver and avid gin collector who had recently bought his first home in Melbourne.

De Waart is survived by his parents, Carolina and Alain, who live in Belgium, and his younger brother, Sacha, who lives in Switzerland. Thompson is survived by his partner, Lisa.

In a statement, Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said the loss of Thompson and de Waart “struck at the heart of Victoria Police, the broader policing family and the community of Porepunkah.

“In the coming days, weeks and months, we will all grieve this loss and deeply miss our colleagues and friends who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty,” Bush said.

“It is not lost on me that our members take a risk every time they go to work to protect the Victorian community. While we all live with the knowledge that the worst could happen on a shift, we don’t expect it to.

“In these difficult times it is so important that our people stand together and support each other, and I have full confidence that we will all do this with dignity and respect.”

Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said Thompson loved his job and had a “vivid plan” for life after the force.

“Neal was one of a kind, a laid-back adventurer who loved to share the outdoors with his mates. He was devoted to partner Lisa, the love of his life,” Gatt said. “‘Thommo’ will leave a void at Wangaratta that can’t be filled, in policing and in friendship.”

He said policing came naturally to de Waart, who loved helping people.

“He loved travelling and he loved life,” Gatt said. “He had a lust for learning and was an avid runner. He drew people in with his quirky, inquisitive nature and broad smile.”

Authorities were planning to light up public buildings in shades of blue on Wednesday night – including Flinders Street Station, Melbourne Town Hall and Parliament House – to honour the slain officers. Flags across the city were also flying at half-mast on Wednesday.

A third police officer, who was wounded in Tuesday’s shooting, has received surgery on his leg and remains in a stable condition at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne.

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