The seven uninjured officers remained at the scene for hours as they worked to contain the property, with police forced to carry the bodies of their slain colleagues from the active search scene.
Speaking from Wangaratta on Tuesday evening, Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said the two officers were “murdered in cold blood”.
“I would like to acknowledge our fine and brave officers who lost their lives today in the line of duty.
“I would like to talk to the police, family and the loved ones of our lost and fallen officers. Myself and every member of Victoria Police are with you at this moment. Our hearts go out to you. We thank those courageous officers,” Bush said.
He confirmed that Freeman had fled immediately after the shootings.
“He was heavily armed, and he was able to escape into the bush. I do understand that he was pursued, but he was able to get away on foot,” Bush said.
Bush said he was “obviously a very dangerous person” and was known to police.
Police Association Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt also paid tribute to the fallen officers, who are yet to be publicly identified by police.
“Every officer is mourning right now, every one knows the spectre of self-sacrifice that follows police officers on every job they attend in every shift they work.
“They will go home and hug their families tighter than usual, in the sad and sobering knowledge that two of their colleagues lost that privilege in service of the community, Gatt said.
The approximate location of the property where the officers were shot.Credit: Google Earth
Freeman, who was living with his family on the 20-hectare property, was licensed to own firearms despite harbouring radical political views and an intense mistrust of law enforcement agencies and all levels of government. Several other sovereign citizens had at different times resided in makeshift accommodation on the “off-grid property”, according to neighbours and police sources.
Sovereign citizens are considered to be part of a radicalised fringe group that follows conspiracy theories and believes the government is illegitimate. Members of this fringe group are known for their deep distrust of, and contempt for, law enforcement.
Scores of police converged on the property immediately after the fatal shootings, while heavily armed members of the Special Operations Group arrived from Melbourne by helicopter before midday.
Police also deployed a Leonardo AW139 helicopter equipped with an infrared camera, which can detect thermal energy in darkness.
Members of the Special Operations Group at the property on Tuesday.Credit: Joe Armao
“We have deployed every special resource into this … to locate him. That is our priority,” Bush said.
The police chief said a “robust risk assessment” had taken place before police attended the property.
“Our staff were armed when they went to the address, obviously.”
Bush said the fact 10 police officers had attended “does talk to the gravity of the situation”.
The small township of Porepunkah was plunged into lockdown, with 90 students at the local primary school forced to stay indoors, while the Alpine Shire Council closed all offices and facilities.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his sympathy for the two officers and their families.
“Our thoughts are with the police for the work they do, each and every day,” Albanese said during a press conference in Canberra. “The men and women who wear … the uniform of the police take risks each and every day.
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Premier Jacinta Allan also expressed her deep sorrow at the killing of the two police officers.
“Two Victoria Police officers have lost their lives in the service of our state. Another has been seriously injured and their families are facing the kind of grief that no family should ever have to experience,” she said.
“Policing comes with danger and every day our police officers meet that danger with enormous courage and dedication. And this tragedy is a painful reminder of that bravery.”
Freeman had come to the attention of locals during the coronavirus pandemic, when his behaviour became increasingly erratic and his opposition to police and government more strident.
Born Desmond Filby, he grew up in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and later changed his surname to Freeman to reflect his status as a sovereign citizen.
In 2021, he was arrested outside the Myrtleford courthouse after unsuccessfully attempting to privately prosecute then Premier Daniel Andrews on treason and fraud charges. As Freeman was marched to the station, he called officers “scumbags” and “criminal filth” who were “obsessed with power”.
Porepunkah locals described Freeman as a “strange cat”, a “recluse” and one said he resembled a “Rambo” like figure who was “strong and fit” and known among some locals for his bush survival skills.
“He liked being away from people and out in the bush,” one local said.
“The cops will have their work cut for them catching him. He’s got a beautiful family though so my heart breaks for them.”
A man who lived next to the property, said there were “a lot of people” living at the address.
“It’s like a little community. You see a lot of cars driving in and out.
“They’ve got a huge gate there. You couldn’t get in, it’s like a bloody prison gate.”
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The man said the first he knew of Tuesday’s tragic events were when police began swarming the area.
“I’m just waiting for them to catch this bloke so I can go home – I’m not allowed home till they catch the bloke.”
Another local described the feelings of residents of the small town of about 1000 people.
“It has been quite scary because it is such a quiet and peaceful place. Nothing like this has ever happened here and suddenly we are seeing police everywhere and being told not to go outside.”
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