Surprising Revelation: Dezi Freeman’s Friend Believed Fugitive Was Dead for Months

Freeman was fatally shot by special operations officers at a secluded location near Walwa around 8:30 am. He had appeared draped in a blanket, wielding a stolen firearm.

Bruce Evans, a close associate of the fugitive, mentioned he hadn’t had any contact with Freeman since he fled into the dense forests following the fatal shooting of two police officers in Victoria’s high country on August 26.

In an interview with 9News, Evans expressed his earlier suspicion that Freeman might have been killed by authorities “on day one.”

“It’s a very sad day for the entire family,” he remarked. “Not a good day at all.”

“Honestly, I assumed he was dead,” Evans admitted, “but it turns out I was mistaken.”

“He was facing life imprisonment or going out in a blaze of glory I suppose, and he chose the latter by the sounds of it.”

Evans said he did not condone Freeman’s actions in Porepunkah but believed the fugitive was “pretty fearless” and was not shocked his fate was sealed in another shooting.

“It’s not surprising to me that it went down this way in the end,” he said.

“He’s not the sort of guy that backs down, you know.”

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush earlier today said officers “acted appropriately” during today’s police operation.

“Everything I have seen, everything I have been briefed on, tells me that our officers acted appropriately,” Bush said.

“It’s quite clear to us now that the deceased was given every opportunity to resolve this peacefully and did not take that option.

“I have seen video of the deceased leaving the building and presenting a firearm at our officers.

“That action took away any discretion our officers had to resolve this peacefully.”

Evans said he was not surprised by reports police were led to Freeman’s hideout by a tip-off from one of the self-described sovereign citizen’s associates.

“You dangle a million dollars in front of people and there’s going to be a lot of people that take that sort of money,” Evans said.

“You couldn’t hide forever. It’s always going to get out somehow.”

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