General News
3 September, 2025
Stawell reflects on lives lost
THE Stawell community has taken steps to remember and pay tribute two police officers gunned down in north-east Victoria.
As the Stawell Times-News was going to print last week, a large manhunt was continuing around Porepunkah in the state’s high country for the man believed responsible, and is still going today.
Police believe 56-year-old Dezi Freeman – a self proclaimed sovereign citizen – opened fire on the two officers as they executed a search warrant for historical sex crimes on Tuesday morning.
Senior Constable Vaim De Waart and Detective Neal Thompson died at the scene while a third officer was airlifted to hospital and is in a stable condition.
Stawell Police and the Northern Grampians Shire have taken steps to pay tribute to the fallen officers.
Last Wednesday, flags were flying at half mast outside the Stawell Police Station.
Last Wednesday evening, Northern Grampians Shire Council lit up the Stawell Town Hall and Big Hill in blue to honour the two officers.
The lights were turned on just after sunset on Wednesday and were turned off at Dawn on Thursday.
Flags were also flying at half-mast on Thursday.
Porepunkah has been in lockdown ever since as police scour nearby bushland in search of the alleged offender.
Police believe Freeman – an experienced bushman – is in possession of multiple powerful firearms.
Freeman, a disability pensioner, has multiple complaints against police and government authorities.
Mr Freeman last year launched a Supreme Court challenge after his drivers licence was cancelled and he was disqualified from driving for two years after being convicted of speeding, refusing to submit to a drug test and using a mobile phone while driving.
Freeman, who was born Desmond Filby, told the Supreme Court he and his family were the victims of "malicious prosecution" and "personal vendetta" after he was stopped for speeding outside a fish and chip shop.
Freeman was also involved in an attempt to have former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews tried for treason and fraud.
In 2021, he attended a failed private prosecution of Mr Andrews and was arrested in a subsequent protest outside the Myrtleford Magistrates' Court.
Local MP Emma Kealy paid tribute to the deceased officer on Wednesday.
“The loss of two brave police officers and the serious injury of another has deeply shaken regional Victoria.
On behalf of the people of regional Victoria, I offer my heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the police officers lost.
Words are nowhere near enough to ease the pain, but we grieve alongside them,” Ms Kealy said.
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