Dezi Freeman shot up to 20 times by Victoria Police in Thologolong after seven-month manhunt

Fugitive Dezi Freeman was shot at least 20 times when police stormed his remote hideout in north-east Victoria, bringing a seven-month manhunt to a violent end.

It has been reported by authorities that Freeman fired first, discharging two rounds from a gun allegedly taken from one of the officers killed in Porepnkah, before Special Operations Group officers responded with heavy fire outside a makeshift shelter built from a shipping container and caravan on a rural Thologolong property.

The intensity of the police response has raised questions about the scale of the threat officers believed they were facing after months of tracking the fugitive, who had been evading capture while moving between isolated communities near the Victoria-NSW border.

Officers spent around three hours attempting to negotiate Freeman’s surrender before the situation escalated shortly after 8.30am on Monday, according to reports.

“He fired two shots and eight police responded. He was shot at least 20 times,” The Age crime writer John Silvester told 3AW.

“In all probability, the gun was shot out of his hand because it was some distance away.”

Investigators believe the volume of shots fired may reflect concerns Freeman remained armed and dangerous, particularly given police allege he was carrying a weapon linked to the earlier killings of officers in Porepunkah.

Authorities had been quietly monitoring activity at the remote site for several days after identifying a suspicious vehicle travelling repeatedly between Porepunkah and Thologolong, a journey of nearly 200 kilometres.

The movements were detected through a traffic camera date, eventually leading investigators to the rural property where Freeman has been hiding.

Investigations are currently underway examining whether Freeman received outside assistance during his months on the run, including help establishing the concealed structure used as his base.

Attention has also turned to the series of fans mounted on the shipping container, believed to have been installed to allow someone to live inside the confined space during the summer heat.

Photos released by authorities also show multiple chairs and an empty case of beer were located, which may be indicators that Freeman had visitors.

“Somebody has purchased those and taken them to the property to ensure that Freeman is able to live in there in the heat,” Mr Silvester said.

“Rest assured that police will be trying to find out who bought them and where.

“There was a ladder attached to one of them, which may well have been a part of the process in installing that.”

Authorities are also analysing two mobile phones discovered near the scene, believed to be burner devices potentially used to communicate without detection.

“Tellingly two mobile phones were found in the area, burners,” Mr Silvester said.

“Police will be trying to see who he called, although the reception up there is terribly bad.”

Investigators have previously suggested it would have been extremely difficult for Freeman to remain hidden for so long without logistical support.

Anyone found to have assisted him, whether by providing transport, shelter or supplies, could face significant criminal penalties, including prison terms of up to 20 years.

“We’re going to track backwards, work backwards from yesterday and find out to work out who did assist him and those people, when identified, will be held to account,” Police Commissioner Mike Bush said.

Freeman’s body has been transferred to Melbourne, where the state coroner will conduct an independent investigation into the fatal police shooting.

A formal identification process has now been completed.

Police have spent several days processing the rural crime scene and are expected to conclude their examination shortly, with the site then to be secured.

Authorities have confirmed Mr Bush has reviewed footage of the incident, though it remains unclear whether the video will ever be released publicly.