LIVE: Court details the moment Dezi Freeman shot killed two police officers

Lead

The Coroners Court of Victoria has begun the first stage of inquests into the deaths of two Victorian police officers who were shot and killed in August 2025, and the death of the man who killed them, Dezi Freeman. The directions hearings, held before State Coroner Judge Liberty Sanger, are set to establish the structure and scope of separate inquests into the deaths of Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 34, and Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, as well as that of Freeman, who was shot dead by police in March after a seven-month manhunt.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting from ABC Australia and The Guardian — World has covered the hearings, with ABC providing detailed live updates and court summaries. The Guardian emphasized the reason behind the search warrant that led to the fatal confrontation, while ABC focused on the procedural aspects and the emotional details of Freeman's final moments. All sources agree on the core facts: the officers were killed while serving a warrant at Freeman's property in Porepunkah, and Freeman was later shot by police after a standoff.

Key Claims

• The two police officers were shot and killed on August 26, 2025, while serving a warrant at a rural property in Porepunkah, as reported by multiple sources including the ABC and The Guardian.
• The warrant was related to allegations of sexual assault against a child under 16 and an attempt to involve a child in the production of child abuse material, according to counsel assisting the inquest, Lindsay Spence, as quoted by The Guardian and ABC.
• Freeman's electronic devices were later found to contain hundreds of files of child abuse material, as reported by ABC, which said police believed he was on the verge of being discovered when he killed the officers.
• The inquest will also examine Freeman's death, which occurred after a three-hour standoff at a property in Thologolong on March 30, where he was shot by police, as stated in ABC reports.
• According to a summary read to the court by Mr. Spence and reported by ABC, Freeman shouted at officers, calling them "thugs and bullies," and at one point yelled "Cowards, come and get me." This claim comes from a single source — ABC's report — and has not been independently verified by other outlets.

Perspectives

Victoria Police and legal perspective: The coronial process is standard procedure for reportable deaths, and the hearings will determine how the deaths occurred and what can be done to prevent similar incidents in the future. The coroner is expected to assign a Victoria Police member to each inquest and set timelines for evidence submissions.

Community and public interest: The deaths of the two officers have raised concerns about police safety and the handling of warrants involving armed individuals. The revelation of child abuse material on Freeman's devices has added another layer of public shock, though the focus remains on the procedural accountability.

Freeman's defense: In the standoff, Freeman reportedly claimed he acted in self-defense, saying police were corrupt and there to assault him. These claims, as recounted in court, were not accepted by police, but they form part of the contextual record that the inquest will consider.