Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush has confirmed a man has been fatally shot by officers during Operation Summit, in what is expected to bring an end to the months-long manhunt for fugitive Desmond “Dezi” Freeman. Mr Bush addressed media on Monday morning, confirming the shooting occurred at a rural property in Victoria’s north-east shortly after 8:30am. This followed a 'stand-off' between the man and officers, which began around 5:30am. Police stopped short of formally identifying the deceased at the time of publication, with a coronial process to follow. However, it is widely reported the man is Freeman, who had been on the run since August last year. “Everything I know at this point tells me that this shooting was justified,” Mr Bush said. “Should it be confirmed that the deceased is Freeman, this brings closure to what was a tragic and terrible event.” Freeman, 56, had been the subject of an intensive search since 26 August, 2025. On that day, Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart were shot dead while executing a warrant at a property in Porepunkah, near Bright. Freeman was said to have fled into the rugged terrain of Mount Buffalo National Park, triggering one of the largest manhunts in Victoria’s history. The search stretched across steep bushland, caves and abandoned mineshafts. Specialist police units were deployed, and more than 100 properties were examined as investigators pursued multiple lines of inquiry. In the immediate aftermath, the Porepunkah community was placed into lockdown, with residents urged to shelter indoors. Targeted searches were conducted in December using cadaver dogs, followed by renewed operations in February amid suggestions Freeman may have died in the bush or taken his own life. That uncertainty remained until Monday. “We kept an open mind,” Mr Bush said. Police located the man at a remote structure, described as a hybrid between a shipping container and a caravan. “There was an opportunity for him to surrender peacefully, which he declined,” Mr Bush said. Police held strong suspicions he was armed when he exited the structure. He was then shot by officers. No police were injured. The exact location has not been formally confirmed, but is understood to be near Walwa, close to the New South Wales border and about 200 kilometres from Porepunkah. How Freeman came to be at the site remains unclear. Freeman, repeatedly reported as being a “sovereign citizen”, had evaded capture for more than seven months and his disappearance prompted speculation about whether he had survived in the bush or received outside assistance. During the search, his wife publicly urged him to surrender. Victoria Police’s Professional Standards Command will oversee the investigation into the shooting. Further updates are expected as the identification process is completed and the investigation continues.
