Key Takeaways:
- Desmond "Dezi" Freeman is Australia’s most notorious fugitive, wanted for the alleged murder of two police officers and the wounding of a third.
- Freeman’s descent into conspiracy theories accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic, and he became deeply enmeshed in the "freedom movement".
- The search for Freeman has been ongoing for three months, with police considering three possibilities: he is still in the area, being harboured by locals; he is dead; or he is somewhere else, on the lam.
- The community in Porepunkah, where the shooting occurred, is still grappling with the aftermath and the mythology surrounding Freeman continues to grow.
- An inquest could help counteract misinformation and conjecture, and provide answers about the threats posed by people like Freeman.
Introduction to the Story
Trevor McKibbin met Desmond "Dezi" Freeman in unusual circumstances in January 2020, when Freeman was taking photos near a bushfire in Victoria’s high country. McKibbin, a local Country Fire Authority captain, had to rescue Freeman from the fire, but had little reason to think of him again until five years later, when Freeman became Australia’s most notorious fugitive. The period between these two events was transformational for Freeman, who descended into conspiracy theories and became deeply enmeshed in the "freedom movement" during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Search for Freeman
Three months after the alleged shooting of two police officers and the wounding of a third, the search for Freeman continues. Police are considering three possibilities: he is still in the area, being harboured by locals; he is dead; or he is somewhere else, on the lam. The chief commissioner of Victoria police, Mike Bush, has said that the first option is the most remote, but they cannot rule it out. The search has been ongoing, with police using drones and other resources to try and track down Freeman. However, the whir of police drones has gone quiet over Mount Buffalo national park, and the search area has been largely left to cyclists and tourists.
The Community’s Response
The community in Porepunkah, where the shooting occurred, is still grappling with the aftermath. Neighbours of Freeman’s property, where the shooting happened, are deeply unsettled by the event. They remember Freeman as a man who installed the gate at the end of the lane, and are struggling to come to terms with the fact that they lived so close to someone who allegedly committed such a horrific crime. The couple, who wish to remain anonymous, say that the saga has "left a scar on our psyche, but on the community too". They are concerned that the area will be notorious for the wrong reasons, and that the beauty of the high country will be overshadowed by the mythology surrounding Freeman.
The Investigation and Inquest
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and many questions remain unanswered. How did Freeman get his guns? What did police know about the threat he could pose before they arrived? Why did the operation go so wrong? An inquest could help provide answers to these questions, as well as counteract the misinformation and conjecture that has spread about the case. Gerard Gill, a member of the Addressing Violent Extremism and Radicalisation to Terrorism (AVERT) research network at Deakin University, says that an inquest could help unpack the social and community problems that contributed to the shooting, as well as the policing problems that allowed it to happen.
The Mythology Surrounding Freeman
The mythology surrounding Freeman continues to grow, with many stories and theories circulating about his background and motivations. Some claim that the shooting may not have happened at all, or that it was some kind of false flag event. However, the facts of the case are clear: two police officers are dead, and a third is wounded. The search for Freeman continues, and it is likely that the truth about his fate will eventually be revealed. Until then, the community in Porepunkah will continue to grapple with the aftermath of the shooting, and the mythology surrounding Freeman will continue to grow.