Police identify fallen officers as detective Neal Thompson and senior constable Vadim De Waart
Victoria Police have named the officers who lost their lives in yesterday’s shooting as Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35.
Thompson, who was on the verge of retirement, joined Victoria Police in 1987 and spent seven years in general duties at Collingwood police station before working as a detective at the Major Fraud Squad and the State Crime Squad.
He took up his most recent post in the Wangaratta CIU in July 2007. In a statement, police said Neal was an adventurer and enjoyed all things outdoors.
He loved getting out in nature, and his friends and colleagues regularly joined him on these trips.
Neal had spent the past six years alongside his partner, Lisa, the love of his life. Since the pair met, Neal had found new purpose and was planning in earnest for his imminent retirement. Together with Lisa, Neal had built a new home and had a long list of tasks planned after he knocked off work for the last time.
De Waart had only recently arrived in Wangaratta when the shooting occurred. He started his policing career at the Victoria Police Academy in late 2018 and worked for three years at St Kilda police station before joining PORT as a senior constable in April 2023.
At the time of his passing, Vadim was on temporary assignment in Wangaratta.
An eternal optimist and avid traveller, Vadim was fluent in French, Spanish, Flemish and English. He had also completed scuba dives all around the world and motorcycling trips more locally with his friends and colleagues.
He was a keen gin collector and always picked up a local bottle on his overseas adventures for his large collection at home. While travelling was his passion, Vadim was extremely proud to have purchased his first home in Melbourne in recent years.
He is survived by his parents Carolina and Alain, who live in his Belgium, his younger brother Sacha who lives in Switzerland and a number of relatives in Melbourne.
Key events
‘He could be in a cave. He could be down a mine. He could show up anywhere’
Catie McLeod
Another Porepunkah local, Jesslyn Ellis, said she believed Freeman had lived in the area for about 25 years.
“The community really cares about each other. I never really knew him, but I knew of him,” she said.
I just feel so sorry for his family. Obviously, I feel for the police and their families too.
Ellis said she was sure Freeman “knows how to look after himself” out in the bush.
He could be in a cave. He could be down a mine. He could show up anywhere.
Catie McLeod
Locals describe Porepunkah as ‘wholesome’ and ‘not some conspiracy theorist town’
Porepunkah is in a very beautiful part of Victoria, not far from the Falls Creek and Mount Hotham ski resorts. The petrol station on the main street doubles as a ski hire shop.
Everyone we have spoken to has talked highly of the town and the people who live there. One resident, who asked not to be named, said Porepunkah was home to a “wholesome” and “really lovely community”.
“It’s just an idyllic place to live. It’s a really nice place to live. It’s not some conspiracy theorist town,” they said.
What’s happened – in any place [it would be] so far out of the ordinary. So it’s quite surreal really.
Loss of colleagues has ‘struck at heart’ of Victoria police, chief commissioner says
Victoria’s chief police commissioner, Mike Bush, has paid tribute to his two colleagues.
This devastating loss of Neal and Vadim has struck at the heart of Victoria Police, the broader policing family and the community of Porepunkah.
In the coming days, weeks and months, we will all grieve this loss and deeply miss our colleagues and friends who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
It is not lost on me that our members take a risk every time they go to work to protect the Victorian community. While we all live with the knowledge that the worst could happen on a shift, we don’t expect it to.
Bush said in these “difficult times” it was “so important that our people stand together and support each other”.
I have full confidence that we will all do this with dignity and respect.
Police identify fallen officers as detective Neal Thompson and senior constable Vadim De Waart
Victoria Police have named the officers who lost their lives in yesterday’s shooting as Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35.
Thompson, who was on the verge of retirement, joined Victoria Police in 1987 and spent seven years in general duties at Collingwood police station before working as a detective at the Major Fraud Squad and the State Crime Squad.
He took up his most recent post in the Wangaratta CIU in July 2007. In a statement, police said Neal was an adventurer and enjoyed all things outdoors.
He loved getting out in nature, and his friends and colleagues regularly joined him on these trips.
Neal had spent the past six years alongside his partner, Lisa, the love of his life. Since the pair met, Neal had found new purpose and was planning in earnest for his imminent retirement. Together with Lisa, Neal had built a new home and had a long list of tasks planned after he knocked off work for the last time.
De Waart had only recently arrived in Wangaratta when the shooting occurred. He started his policing career at the Victoria Police Academy in late 2018 and worked for three years at St Kilda police station before joining PORT as a senior constable in April 2023.
At the time of his passing, Vadim was on temporary assignment in Wangaratta.
An eternal optimist and avid traveller, Vadim was fluent in French, Spanish, Flemish and English. He had also completed scuba dives all around the world and motorcycling trips more locally with his friends and colleagues.
He was a keen gin collector and always picked up a local bottle on his overseas adventures for his large collection at home. While travelling was his passion, Vadim was extremely proud to have purchased his first home in Melbourne in recent years.
He is survived by his parents Carolina and Alain, who live in his Belgium, his younger brother Sacha who lives in Switzerland and a number of relatives in Melbourne.
Catie McLeod
‘Where he is and how they’re gonna find him, that’s anyone’s guess’
Porepunkah is surrounded by bushland and pine plantations in the foothills of the alps, near the base of Mt Buffalo.
Kealan Lee, who was driving through the town on his way home to Yarrawongah after a visit to the dentist, said it was a “pretty rugged” place.
“I used to come up here 4WDing as a kid. There’s not much open space,” he said, adding:
Even if they’re flying that helicopter, you’re not going to see much through the trees. They’ve got the CFA (Country Fire Authority) tracks, but they lock them off [and] you’d need a pretty serious 4WD to get up there.
Where he is and how they’re gonna find him, that’s anyone’s guess.
Sense of ‘edge in the air’ in Porepunkah, pub manager says
Businesses in the Porepunkah area are remaining closed as the search continues for Freeman in Victoria’s high country.
The venue manager of the Porepunkah Pub, Misty-Rose Wilson, lives on Mount Buffalo Road, which was “locked in and locked down” yesterday evening.
She told ABC Radio Melbourne that she was among many of the pub’s staff who lived in the area and had been unable to leave their homes.
At 6pm last night we received messages as residents letting us know … to lock your doors and stay inside.
Since then we did have another message this morning that was a repeat of last night’s message. That’s basically all the communication we’ve had at this time.
Something like this shocks a town like ours, we’re a really small, tight-knit community so there’s a sense of edge in the air.
The Porepunkah Pub posted on social media, confirming it would follow advice from Victorian police to stay shut tonight.
Our staff have been instructed not to leave their homes, and their safety, along with that of our guests and wider community, remains our top priority.
Police stations servicing Porepunkah inundated with flowers, cards and messages of support
Wodonga Police has thanked the community for the “overwhelming support” received as the force comes to terms with the deaths of two officers and the serious injury of another.
The Wodonga police posted on social media:
On behalf of everyone at Wodonga Police, we want to sincerely thank our community for the overwhelming support we have received following the tragic events of yesterday. The flowers, cards, and countless messages of kindness and sympathy mean more than words can express.
In such a difficult time, it is deeply comforting to know we are surrounded by a community that stands with us. Your compassion and care are a reminder of the strength we have when we come together.
The Wangaratta police similarly sent a “heartfelt thank you to everyone who has reached out with flowers, cards and messages of support after the tragic events involving our members yesterday”.
This is a very difficult time for our police family here at Wangaratta, but knowing that our community is standing beside us truly means the world. Your kindness, compassion and care are giving us strength as we face the days ahead together.
Wodonga and Wangaratta have the two largest police stations in the area, and both are about an hour’s drive from Porepunkah.
Catie McLeod
Police block road leading to property where shooting took place
Police have set up a roadblock on Mt Buffalo Road, not far from central Porepunkah.
I’m here at the roadblock – along with most of the other media. It’s now raining heavily.
We’re about 2 kms away from the start of Rayner Track, the road that leads to the property where the shooting took place.
While Guardian Australia’s photographer, Stuart Walmsley, and I were able to drive right up to the entrance of the property earlier today, police now aren’t letting the media any further down the main road.
The police haven’t provided any further details as to why they have blocked off the road, but we will update you as soon as we learn more.
Police release image of Dezi Freeman, say suspect last seen running into bush wearing ‘dark green’ clothing
Benita Kolovos
Victoria Police have released further information as they continue to search for Dezi Freeman.
They say he was last seen running into the bush near a property on Rayner Track in Porepunkah at 10.30am yesterday, wearing “dark green (khaki) tracksuit pants, dark green rain jacket, brown Blundstone boots and reading glasses”.
Police described him as Caucasian, 183cm tall, with a medium build and short dark hair.
They said if anyone sees him or has any further information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000:
We continue to urge the public in and around the township of Porepunkah to remain indoors until further notice.
We also ask people not to travel into the area.
Police said Freeman also goes by Desmond Filby. They released an image of him:
Benita Kolovos
The minister for police, Anthony Carbines, was also visibly emotional when he made his statement to the lower house. He says:
Every fortnight at the academy, new graduates pass through and they take an oath to serve and protect the community that they’re members of … It’s very inspiring to see them make that commitment on behalf of all Victorians, and while they’re hurting and their families are hurting, they’re still on duty and working today, tonight, tomorrow and every day.
There have also been updates from other ministers, including local government minister, Nick Staikos. He says the department of government services have been in contact with the Alpine Shire Council, who earlier today issued a plea for government support.
Staikos says:
[The department] will continue to work closely with council over the coming days to identify where additional support is needed, whether for council itself or directly to the community. This is a moment of sadness and shock, but also a time when people across our state come together to support each other.
The education minister, Ben Carroll, says he has personally thanked the Porepunkah primary school principal, Jill Gillies, for helping keep students calm during a lockdown yesterday. Carroll says:
Porepunkah has been around for more than 150 years, it is a close knit community and has a very long term teaching staff of 12. In Jill’s words to me this morning, she said they’re a brilliant bunch of adults. As these horrific events unfolded yesterday, Jill and her staff worked hard to make sure the students under their care were secure and safe. I want to thank Jill and her team for their calmness and their steadfast leadership.
Carroll says the school will be provided with ongoing wellbeing support, including trauma counselling for any students, staff and affected families.
