Accused shooter Dezi Freeman had mental‑health appointment scheduled on day of alleged killings

Dezi Freeman, the 56-year-old man accused of killing two police officers in Victoria’s High Country, had a doctor’s appointment booked to address a worsening mental-health condition on the day police say the shootings occurred, sources told media outlets.

Police allege Freeman shot Detective Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 35, at his rural property in Porepunkah on Aug. 26 and wounded a third officer before fleeing into surrounding bushland. In the days since the incident, authorities launched a large search effort and said Freeman remained at large nearly two weeks after the shootings.

Those close to Freeman told the Daily Mail he had been suffering flu-like symptoms and a deterioration in his mental state in the weeks leading up to the incident. A friend was quoted saying Freeman had been "really sick with flu-like symptoms for a few weeks" and was "certainly not at his fittest," adding that being unwell had left him "bored and not getting out and about." The reports said Freeman’s wife, Mali, had persuaded him to attend the medical appointment scheduled for the day of the shootings.

Police have not publicly detailed any medical records or the nature of Freeman’s scheduled appointment. Authorities have identified the two officers killed and said a third received treatment for injuries sustained during the encounter at the Porepunkah property, a farming area in the mountainous northeastern region of Victoria.

The revelation that Freeman had sought or planned to seek medical help has focused attention on the intersection of criminal investigations and mental-health care. Public records and police statements released so far have not indicated whether he had been in regular contact with health services prior to the appointment or whether clinicians were aware of any risk to others.

Family members and acquaintances, speaking to the press, described a recent decline in Freeman’s health and demeanour, noting reduced physical activity and a bout of illness. Commenters cautioned against drawing conclusions without access to clinical assessments or the results of the ongoing police investigation.

Victoria Police have coordinated an extensive search operation in the High Country, deploying ground and airborne resources as they seek to locate Freeman. Officers have said they will provide updates as investigations progress and as more information becomes available.

The case has prompted discussion among community members about access to mental-health services in rural areas, where residents often face barriers to timely care. Health advocates have previously pointed to longer wait times, fewer specialist services and greater travel distances as challenges for those seeking assessment and treatment outside metropolitan centres.

Authorities have urged anyone with information about Freeman’s whereabouts or his intentions to come forward to assist with the investigation. Police requested that members of the public not attempt to approach him.

Investigators continue to piece together the timeline of the Aug. 26 incident, seeking to corroborate accounts from witnesses, family members and medical providers. Police have not released details about what preceded the shooting at the property, citing the ongoing nature of the inquiry.

As the search continues, public-health and law-enforcement officials face the complex task of balancing criminal accountability with the need to understand and respond to possible mental-health issues involved in violent incidents. Police said they would work with relevant agencies as required while keeping the community informed.