Police End Manhunt for Suspect in Officer Killings

0:00Victoria Police just ended a massive seven-month manhunt for Desi Freeman, the 59-year-old accused of killing two officers and wounding A. Third back on August 26 in Port Punca, North East Victoria. On Monday, March 30, at 8.30am, cops shot and killed a man during a three-hour standoff on a rural property near Wawa. Chief Commissioner Mike Bush called it the Close of Operation Summit, one of the biggest police ops in history. They pour huge resources into this, with hundreds of specialists, air support, ground teams, even help from across Australia, New Zealand, and the Australian Defense Force. Bush said they chased over 2,000 leads, battled bushfires, snow, and storms, but nothing panned out until this tip-off may be tied to that one. Million-dollar reward, though details stay confidential. The fallen officers were leading senior constable Neil Thompson, 59, a veteran detective nearing retirement and senior constable Vadim Desi.

1:02Wart, 35, fresh on the job. Families and the force are reeling from that cold-blooded ambush during a routine war in service. Freeman, linked to sovereign citizen beliefs and known to police, vanished into the bush armed with multiple guns, skilled in survival. Bush believes the man was armed when he came out of that shipping container-style hideout, refusing to surrender despite appeals. No shots confirmed from him yet, and no one else was around. Now a corner has there for ID, plus probes by professional standards command to confirm it all lines up as justified. Police bowed to track anyone who might have helped him hide, holding them accountable. This wraps a dark chapter, but the full story awaits those investigations. Stay tuned for updates. I'm Corey with The Story, and you've been listening to Sydney News today, AI-powered local news.