Australian police fatally shoot suspect in 3-hour standoff after 2 officers killed
abcnews.com • • world
Key Points:
- Australian police believe they fatally shot Dezi Freeman, a suspect accused of killing two officers and wounding a third in August 2023 near Porepunkah, Victoria.
- Freeman had evaded capture for seven months, surviving in a remote forest area with wilderness skills, and was involved in a three-hour standoff before being shot near Thologolong.
- Police are conducting formal identification procedures, including fingerprinting, which could take up to 48 hours, and have not confirmed if Freeman fired at officers during the confrontation.
- Freeman reportedly held sovereign citizen beliefs and had grievances against police, prompting a large-scale search and a $1 million reward for information leading to his capture.
- Authorities continue investigating possible accomplices who may have helped Freeman avoid arrest and have not disclosed if a tip led to the recent police operation.
