Victoria is on high alert after a shocking incident in the town of Porepunkah, where two police officers were allegedly shot and killed.
Suspected gunman Dezi Freeman is reportedly using the region’s remote bushland to evade capture, prompting a major police manhunt in the alpine wilderness.
Freeman Familiar With the Rugged Terrain
Freeman, 56, is said to know the local terrain around Mount Buffalo intimately.
Locals believe he could be hiding in abandoned bush tunnels and caves left over from old gold mining operations.
Mark Bartolic, a Porepunkah resident, told reporters: “There are a lot of caves here and a lot of dugouts from gold mining.
He knows the area. He’s a very experienced bushman and I think it will be very hard to find him.
He could survive alone out there for weeks.”
Community in Shock
The incident has left the small town reeling. Bartolic, who knew both the slain officers and Freeman personally, described the tragedy as incomprehensible.
“Look, the guy, I knew him and he seemed like a decent fellow.
I know his son; he’s a lovely boy. I just don’t know what has happened. Someone just flipped out and lost it,” Bartolic said.
He also paid tribute to the late detective, describing him as a fixture in the community: “He was always there for the community, at the local football, at the supermarket.
A good, honest man. It’s just horrendous for the families.”
Police Operation Underway
Police have established a mobile command centre outside Feathertop Winery on the outskirts of Porepunkah.
Victoria Police’s elite Special Operations Group has been deployed, with heavily armed officers preparing to enter the wilderness via helicopter.
Police dogs are also assisting in the search.
Roadblocks around Freeman’s compound have been removed, but a vehicle remains across the property’s front gate.
Text alerts continue to warn residents to avoid the area, and local schools have temporarily closed as a precaution.
Commissioner Provides Cautious Updates
Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush confirmed that Freeman is believed to have escaped uninjured after allegedly shooting the officers.
While shots were fired in his direction, the commissioner said he did not believe Freeman was wounded.
Bush stressed the importance of keeping specific operational details private, warning that suspects can use public information to evade capture: “We have to be very conscious of what we put in the public domain, other than general search techniques.
People on the run will find a way to monitor the media, and that would assist them in evading us.”
Residents Remain on High Alert
The Porepunkah community continues to take precautions.
Bartolic noted the unusual tension: “I locked the door today when I went out because my wife’s there.
Normally, I don’t lock it. The whole community is shocked, and people don’t really know how to handle it.”
Authorities have urged anyone with information on Freeman’s whereabouts to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
