Man, 61, arrested during alpine search for suspected gunman Dezi Freeman

3 months ago 21

A 61-year-old man has been arrested during the alpine search for suspected Porepunkah gunman Dezi Freeman, police confirmed on Saturday evening.

Police said they arrested the man just before 5pm on Friday, in the nearby town of Bright.

The man was still being interviewed by detectives late Saturday.

The hunt for fugitive Dezi Freeman continues.

Whether he is associated with Freeman, who police continue to search for after two officers were shot dead on Tuesday, is expected to be covered by police during the interview.

Officers said they located and seized weapons and a quantity of cannabis inside the home while arresting the 61-year-old.

They are asking anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.

Saturday marked day five of the search for Freeman, 56, after Tuesday’s shooting deaths of officers Neal Thompson and Vadim De Waart.

Camouflaged specialist police searched farmland and pine plantations south of Porepunkah, as snow dusted the top of nearby Mount Buffalo, temperatures dropped and strong winds howled.

Friday’s arrest of the 61-year-old came after police took Freeman’s wife, Mali, 42, and their 15-year-old son into custody during an operation in Porepunkah on Thursday night.

The duo were interviewed “specifically in relation to the homicide” and released, while Victoria Police’s chief commissioner said charges could follow.

More than 450 police officers have been deployed to Porepunkah as part of the search for Freeman.