Specialist police have fired off dozens of shots in vast bushland in a renewed effort to track down alleged double cop murderer Dezi Freeman.
The secret operation, led by Taskforce Summit, took place last Wednesday near the Porepunkah property in Victoria’s high country, where Freeman allegedly shot dead two officers on August 26.
Police carried out controlled firing of up to 30 shots from a range of weapons, aiming to replicate a shot heard by a witness about 20 minutes after the deadly ambush, The Age reported.
Officers blocked off several access points for more than four hours and used acoustic equipment in an effort to isolate where the shot might have come from.
The single shot was previously unknown to the public and could open up a fresh line of inquiry in the ten-week manhunt.
Freeman allegedly shot and killed Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 35, before taking off with their revolvers.
The alleged murders sparked an extensive manhunt that saw officers scour bushland in and around Freeman’s wilderness retreat, located at the base of Mount Buffalo.
Victoria Police confirmed an operation took place last Wednesday but said that no trace of Freeman was found.
Dezi Freeman (pictured) allegedly shot and killed two police officers at a Porepunkah property in August. Despite a tireless search effort, he remains at large
Police carried out controlled firing of up to 30 shots from a range of weapons on Wednesday, aiming to replicate a shot heard by a witness about 20 minutes after the deadly ambush. Pictured are heavily armed officers during a previous search
Heavily armed police and army personnel spent days searching for the alleged cop killer
‘Police attended the Porepunkah area on November 5 to conduct firearms testing as part of the ongoing investigation into the fatal shooting of police and subsequent search for Desmond Freeman,’ a spokesperson told Daily Mail on Sunday.
‘The testing took place in the vicinity of Barrett Lane and Rayner Track due to reports of a gunshot in that vicinity at about 11.45 am on August 26.
‘The area has since been searched by police, however no trace of Freeman was located.’
Police remain hopeful the latest lead will provide new information in the tireless search.
‘Investigators are hopeful that the firearms testing may assist police with the ongoing search,’ the spokesperson added.
‘Police are keen to speak to anyone who may have heard this gunshot, including any members of the public who may have been in the area at the time and believe they could be the person responsible.’
Porepunkah locals were warned ahead of last Wednesday’s controlled firing.
But the heightened police presence and sound of gunfire were a grim reminder of the tragedy that continues to haunt the town’s tight-knit community.
Freeman has evaded police detection for weeks despite an unprecedented search effort. A $1million reward leading to the fugitive’s arrest remains up for grabs
Police told Daily Mail that investigators are hopeful that the firearms testing may assist police with the ongoing search
Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, (left) and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 35, (right) were killed in the deadly ambush at Freeman’s Porepunkah property
Victoria Police launched Taskforce Summit last month, led by a Crime Command State Anti-Gangs Division detective inspector.
It consists of officers from Victoria Police’s most elite units and is currently based in the Great Alpine region.
Police previously pledged to leave no stone unturned in the search for Freeman, with detectives having investigated more than 1,700 pieces of intelligence including tips from the public.
Information from the public will be crucial to ongoing search efforts, Victoria Police Crime Command Assistant Commissioner Martin O’Brien said last month.
‘I strongly urge anyone with any information at all, no matter how small you think it may be, to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers,’ he said.
‘This could be sightings of Freeman, information you’re hearing in your local communities, even suspicious activity on your property – whatever it is, we want to hear from you. As always, this can be done anonymously.
‘It has been an extremely challenging investigation but we are incredibly determined to see this to resolution.’
A $1million reward for information leading to Freeman’s arrest remains up for grabs.