In brief
In a shocking incident in Porepunkah, Australia, two police officers were killed while attempting to execute a warrant related to sexual offenses. The deceased officers have been identified as Detective Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35. As the hunt for the alleged shooter, Dezi Freeman, continues, authorities are urging local residents to stay vigilant. The officers were part of a group executing the warrant when they encountered heavy gunfire, resulting in one officer seriously injured and both deceased.
Two police officers who were shot dead while on duty in a rural Australian town have been named, as a massive search continues for their alleged killer. Victoria Police identified the victims as 59-year-old Detective Neal Thompson - a local officer on the brink of retirement - and 35-year-old Senior Constable Vadim De Waart.The pair had travelled to the property in Porepunkah, north-east of Melbourne, alongside eight colleagues to execute a warrant for alleged sexual offences. Another officer was seriously injured in the shootout but is recovering after surgery.Police say the suspect - named as local man Dezi Freeman, 56 - is heavily armed and 'still at large' more than 24 hours on.Thompson joined the force in 1987 and worked with the major fraud and crime squads before moving to the town of Wangaratta - an hour from Porepunkah - in 2007. A great lover of the outdoors, he was planning for his imminent retirement.De Waart was temporarily posted to Wangarratta, but lived in Melbourne, where the avid traveler had moved from Belgium.In a statement, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said the 'devastating loss' of the two officers 'struck at the heart' of both the broader policing family and the Porepunkah community.'It is not lost on me that our members take a risk every time they go to work to protect the Victorian community,' he said. 'While we all live with the knowledge that the worst could happen on a shift, we don't expect it to.'Groups of officers, a helicopter and an armoured vehicle are combing the dense bushland where Mr Freeman absconded - a task locals have likened to finding 'a needle in a haystack' - with authorities warning residents to stay inside until he is caught.The search is complicated by the terrain and the suspect's knowledge of the area. Residents are advised to remain vigilant and report any information that may assist in locating Mr Freeman.
