Australian fugitive Dezi Freeman accused of murdering two police officers believed to have been shot dead | World News

A fugitive accused of killing two police officers is believed to have been shot dead, Australian police say.

Dezi Freeman, 56, has been on the run for seven months after allegedly killing two officers in a remote town in Victoria state.

On Monday, police said they believed he was involved in a three-hour standoff inside a rural area in Victoria’s northeast.

“While the man has not been formally identified, police believe it is likely to be 56-year-old Porepunkah man Desmond Freeman,” Victoria Police said in a statement.

Freeman, previously known as Desmond Filby, was shot dead at around 8.30am, local media widely reported.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush declined to officially confirm the victim’s identity pending official identification, but said the shooting was justified.

“Everything I know right now tells me that this shooting was justified,” Chief Commissioner Bush said at a news conference, ⁠adding that no police officers were injured ⁠in the incident.

“There was an opportunity for him to surrender peacefully, but he didn’t… we are working to resolve that.

“We strongly believe, but have not yet confirmed, that he was armed.”

More than 450 police officers have been involved in the ‌hunt for Freeman since August, when he allegedly opened fire on a team of 10 police officers.

Officers had arrived at a property in Porepunkah, about 300 km (186 miles) north-east of Melbourne, to execute a search warrant.

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A reward of $1 million (£520,000) has been offered for information leading to his arrest.

Believed to have expert bushcraft skills and a powerful range of firearms, Freeman fled into the bushland of Mount Buffalo
National Park after the shooting.

Local media described him as a “sovereign citizen”, a term used for individuals who consider the government to be illegitimate.