Porepunkah police shooting as it happened: Search for Dezi Freeman impacted by blizzard conditions; ‘sovereign citizen’s’ wife and son arrested

Alleged killer Dezi Freeman remains on the run after two police officers were shot dead and a third injured at a property in the regional Victorian town of Porepunkah.

Here’s what happened today:

• Freeman’s wife Mali and his 15-year-old son were arrested and questioned by police in Porepunkah last night at a property owned by a family friend. “Those people have been released. There may or may not be charges that follow,” Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said today.
• Victoria Police has announced to its employees the funeral details for killed officers Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart for early September. Both will be farewelled with full honours. The injured officer is recovering in hospital and will undergo a second surgery.
• Officers from the AFP, South Australian and NSW police have joined the manhunt. More than 450 police are involved in the search operation.
• Friends and family of Freeman have implored him to surrender, as police make clear they’re open to facilitating the process.
• Police efforts have been hampered by wild weather, which is expected to continue into the weekend.

• Concerns have also been raised about Freeman’s firearms licence, which was repeatedly removed and returned to him, as new details emerge about Tuesday’s police shooting. Freeman allegedly shot Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson with a home-made shotgun through the door of a bus he was living in near Porepunkah.

We will continue to bring you updates as they happen.

Vadim de Waart will be farewelled by his colleagues on September 5 and given full police honours.

As Cassandra Morgan writes, the Belgian-born officer’s friends have recalled him as a gentle and fun-loving man.

Vadim de Waart was the kind of guy who could never quite believe his luck.

He could get talking to a stranger during a travel disaster, and within minutes, there would be an offer of a bed or a warm meal. Years after a relationship ended, his former partners would still consider him family.

A deeply sentimental romantic, his capacity for connection was so boundless that it extended far beyond the typical limits of love and friendship.

“The fact that [I’m close with another of his former partners] shows you how kind, sweet and engaged he is with his partners,” former partner of seven years Marine Piersotte said.

“[He made] the most out of life.”

As funeral details are confirmed for the officer, read Cassandra Morgan’s full story here.

A wild storm has just hit Porepunkah, bringing hail, thunder and lightning to the High Country where Dezi Freeman remains at large.

A few locals are scurrying inside the Porepunkah pub – which has just reopened – to catch up after some of the most dramatic days in the sleepy village’s history.

“We look forward to welcoming you this afternoon and evening, and we thank you all for the resilience, kindness and support you continue to show,” pub management said in a post on social media.

Earlier today, Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said police were supportive of the pub accepting patrons again, after previously urging residents to stay inside their homes.

“Our message to people is: if you need to go about your business, go about your business,” Bush said.

“Stay safe, be vigilant, and we are there to support you.”

When my husband left for work on Tuesday morning, we were on bad terms. I’d snapped at him over something silly, even though I was the one at fault. Rightfully, he walked out the door in a huff.

The weight of my actions hit home later in the day, when news broke that two police officers – Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart – had been shot dead and a third seriously injured near Porepunkah in Victoria’s High Country.

My husband is a regional police officer, as was Thompson.

Most days, I manage to push my husband’s job to the back of my mind. It’s easier for my own mental health not to think about the risks he faces daily: the unstable people, the isolated and the drug-addled, the irrational, the downright bad.

On Tuesday, my stomach filled with dread at the realisation that it just as easily could have been him not coming home as it was Thompson or de Waart.

Read the full opinion piece here.

Alleged cop killer Dezi Freeman remains on the run after two police officers were shot dead and a third injured at a property in the regional Victorian town of Porepunkah.

Here’s what’s happened so far today:

• Freeman’s wife Mali and his 15-year-old son were arrested and questioned by police in Porepunkah last night at a property owned by a family friend. “Those people have been released. There may or may not be charges that follow,” Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said today.
• Premier Jacinta Allan said the state government would assist Victoria Police in organising the funerals for the fallen officers, Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart. The injured officer is recovering in hospital and will undergo a second surgery.
• Officers from the AFP, South Australian and NSW police have joined the manhunt. More than 450 police are involved in the search operation.
• Friends and family of Freeman have implored him to surrender, as police make clear they’re open to facilitating the process.
• Police efforts have been hampered by wild weather, which is expected to continue into the weekend.

• Concerns have also been raised about Freeman’s firearms licence, which was repeatedly removed and returned to him, as new details emerge about Tuesday’s police shooting. Freeman allegedly blasted Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson with a home-made shotgun through the door of a bus he was living in near Porepunkah.

Police are supportive of the Porepunkah Pub reopening today after previously warning residents to avoid going outside while alleged gunman Dezi Freeman remains at large.

In a post on Facebook, pub staff acknowledged that the past few days had been “an incredibly difficult and unsettling time” and it hoped the venue could be a space for people to come together and support one another.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said: “We’re really conscious that people need to go about their lives. We’ve been in discussion with those owners. I think we support the opening, but we’ll be very much in the environment to make sure people are kept safe.”

“Our message to people is: if you need to go about your business, go about your business.

“Stay safe, be vigilant, and we are there to support you. But if you see anything that you believe is suspicious or could be this person, please ring triple zero.”