Summary
That’s where we’ll leave today’s coverage.
Read our full report here on how police shot fugitive Dezi Freeman, the man allegedly responsible for the shooting deaths of two officers at Porepunkah, Victoria.
Catch up on everything we know so far about the shooting here and our explainer on who Freeman is here.
And read Nino Bucci’s feature on the seven-month search for Freeman – and the questions that still remain.
Thanks for joining us.
Updated
Freeman emerged from building with a weapon, commissioner says
Just recapping some of the key elements of the Victoria police chief commissioner Mike Bush’s press conference.
Bush said he was confident officers had acted “professionally”, and he had seen video of the deceased man’s interactions with police.
Police had been at the property about 24 hours. The standoff with the man – believed to be fugitive Dezi Freeman – lasted about three hours. He was shot dead by multiple police at about 8.30am.
Bush told reporters:
It is quite clear to us now that the deceased was given every opportunity to resolve this peacefully and did not take that option. I have seen a video of the deceased leaving the building and presenting a firearm at our offices. That action took away any discretion our officers had to resolve this peacefully.
“We tried everything possible, every tactical option that we have, to encourage the deceased to end this in a safe and peaceful manner. They weren’t taken.
Bush was asked about how Freeman appeared before officers.
He did have something over his shoulders. The video I’ve seen, he then pulled a firearm from underneath that and presented it at our people.
Bush was asked whether police had spoken to the owner of the property where Freeman was found, and whether they were a person of interest in the ongoing police investigation.
We’re still trying to locate and speak with that person. We know who that person is, but we’re yet to speak with them.
Police are confident the man shot by officers this morning was Freeman. But he has not yet been formally identified. That identification is expected with “24 to 48 hours”. During the three-hour standoff with police, Freeman gave information to officers which confirmed his identity, Bush said.
During those negotiations, the deceased did share information to confirm who he was. And it ended about three hours later.
Updated
