Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Victoria Police Scale Back Porepunkah Manhunt With 200-Plus Officers Still Deployed

Police say more than 200 officers will keep rotating through Victoria’s High Country to sustain the search.

Overview

  • Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said the operation has shifted from nearly 500 personnel at its peak to in excess of 200 focused on searches, investigation and community reassurance.
  • There have been no confirmed sightings of 56-year-old Dezi Freeman since August 26, when two officers were fatally shot during a warrant at his Porepunkah property.
  • The search has covered more than 40 square kilometres by foot and air, including mine shafts, caves, huts and checks of hundreds of properties.
  • Police have received about 1,400 public tips after announcing a $1 million reward with possible indemnity, but none has produced a confirmed lead.
  • The Australian Defence Force contributed planning and aerial surveillance support, as closures such as Mount Buffalo National Park and business relief grants underscored the operation’s regional impact.