A major hunt is continuing in the Australian state of Victoria for a man accused of shooting dead two police officers on his semi-rural property, and injuring a third.
Police have confirmed that they are searching for Dezi Bird Freeman, a conspiracy theorist and self-described 'sovereign citizen' who rejects government and law.
Freeman, 56, has a long history with the police, and his hatred of authority has been well documented in online posts, videos, and court documents.
He has called police 'terrorist thugs', compared them to Nazis, and tried to arrest a magistrate during court proceedings.
Less than a week before the shooting of two police in Porepunkah, his wife, Mali, had told a neighbour that she was concerned about his behaviour, The Age reports.
Locals in the town have told journalists that the father of two was kind and polite, but then, during the Covid pandemic, his behaviour became erratic and his views more extreme.
Freeman - born Desmond Christopher Filby - developed a public profile for his views on the health crisis.
He refused to wear face masks in shops, rejected vaccinations, and became increasingly outspoken about his distrust of the government restrictions and lockdowns - of which Victoria had particularly long and strict ones.
Australian media reports that Freeman describes himself as a 'sovereign citizen', who typically believe they are immune from government rules.
In 2021, Freeman was involved in an attempt to have then-state Premier Daniel Andrews tried for treason. He was arrested outside a court in Victoria, where around 250 anti-government protesters had assembled.
Freeman has been in and out of court for years, mainly on driving charges. His conduct in court showed his contempt for authority. In one appearance, he attempted to arrest a magistrate and police officer.
Neighbours say that Freeman and his family live on a bus on a 20-hectare plot on the outskirts of Porepunkah, secured by a big gate with security cameras.
Police understand he is an experienced bushman, making the search challenging. They have warned that Freeman is heavily armed, potentially with the guns of the officers he allegedly shot.
The Freemans were known in their community, with Mali teaching music to children. However, their lives took a troubling turn, as reflected in Freeman's criminal history and online discourse.
