Authorities in Australia are conducting a large-scale search for a man suspected of fatally shooting two police officers during a planned operation in Victoria’s High Country.

The incident occurred on the morning of August 26, 2025, when a team of ten officers executed a search warrant at a rural property in Porepunkah, a small town in the state’s northeast. Gunfire broke out shortly after police arrived, leaving two officers dead and another wounded. The injured officer remains in stable condition after surgery.

The officers killed were identified as Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35. Thompson had been with Victoria Police since 1987 and was nearing retirement, while De Waart joined the force in 2018 and was serving on a regional assignment.

The suspect has been named as 56-year-old Dezi Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby. Authorities describe him as heavily armed, with extensive bush survival skills and links to the “sovereign citizen” movement, whose followers often deny the authority of police and government. Investigators believe he may have taken police radios and firearms before fleeing into nearby bushland.

The manhunt has entered its second day, with police supported by helicopters, heavily armed response teams, and additional state and federal resources. A no-fly zone has been imposed over the search area. Residents of Porepunkah have been urged to remain indoors, with schools and businesses closed as a precaution.

The attack has drawn national attention, with tributes paid to the officers’ service by state and federal leaders. The killings are among the most serious acts of violence against police in Australia in recent years, in a country where strict gun laws make such incidents rare.

Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, Euronews, Sky News, CNN and News.com.au