On August 26, 2025, in Porepunkah, Victoria, Australia, two Victoria Police officers—Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35—were fatally shot, and a third was seriously injured during an ambush while serving a search warrant for historical sexual offenses.
The suspect, 56-year-old Dezi Freeman, a self-proclaimed sovereign citizen with a history of anti-authority clashes, fled into nearby bushland after the attack, sparking a massive manhunt.
Freeman is considered armed and dangerous, with authorities urging residents to stay indoors amid ongoing searches.
This incident underscores the growing risks from extremist ideologies, drawing parallels to past events and prompting national grief from leaders like Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
