Porepunkah shooting: Two arrested as snow and high winds forecast to hamper manhunt — as it happened
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Police have arrested and interviewed the wife and teenage son of 56-year-old Porepunkah man Dezi Freeman, who is suspected of killing two police officers in Victoria’s north-east on Tuesday.
Mali Freeman, 42, and the teenage boy were released without charges last night as a significant manhunt for Mr Freeman continues.
Follow along in our live coverage.
Key Events
- Emergency weather warning removedFri 29 AugFri 29 Aug
- More on the weather situation in PorepunkahFri 29 AugFri 29 Aug
- Emergency warning issued for thunderstorms near the search areaFri 29 AugFri 29 Aug
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29 Aug, 3:29am
What is the latest on the manhunt for Dezi Freeman?
By Judd Boaz
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Here is what we know:
- Police are exploring alleged sightings of Dezi Freeman since the fatal shootings of two police officers in Porepunkah, Victoria, on Tuesday.
- Another police officer was injured in the incident.
- Friends and loved ones have paid tribute to the two officers who were killed during the shooting.
- The 56-year-old accused gunman claims to be a sovereign citizen and wrote about dead police on Instagram prior to the shootings.
- Police say he is an experienced bushman who knows the dense bushland area better than authorities.
- The alleged gunman’s wife Mali Freeman, 42, and teenage son were arrested and released last night.
- Police warned that anyone helping Dezi Freeman evade capture faces criminal charges.
- He is believed to be heavily armed. Locals in Porepunkah have been told to remain vigilant until he is found.
To stay up to date, you can download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest updates.
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29 Aug, 3:56pm
We’ll leave today’s live coverage here
By Melissa Brown
Here’s a recap of what has happened today:
- This morning, police confirmed they arrested Dezi Freeman’s wife and son on Thursday night. They were interviewed and released without charge
- Police continued to block roads around Porepunkah through the day, with the dog squad continuing to be seen in some areas
- At one stage this afternoon, an emergency warning was issued for dangerous thunderstorms moving through the area. It was lifted about an hour later
- Severe weather is expected to continue in the region overnight, including destructive winds, rain, hail and snow
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in western Victoria today. He expressed his condolences to the families of the slain police officers and offered support, including the resources of the Australian Federal Police.
- Premier Jacinta Allan visited Wangaratta, where the two slain officers were stationed. She laid flowers at a memorial
- The Porepunkah Pub re-opened for the first time since the shootings to allow locals to gather
For a full wrap-up of everything that happened today, we’ve put together this story:
Police not ruling out potential charges against Dezi Freeman’s wife and son
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29 Aug, 3:45pm
Cross-border vigil for fallen officers
DBy Daniel Miles
A special service in honour of the two slain police officers will be held at St Matthew’s Anglican church in Albury on Sunday.
Father Peter Macleod-Miller said the church had cancelled its regular service, given the importance of what had unfolded in Victoria’s north-east.
“We’re going to be lighting some candles, we’ve got retired police officers and their families coming,” Father Macleod-Miller said.
“We’ve got flags in [blue and white] and we’re going to be inviting everyone to tie them to the historic fence which is outside.
“Despite the fact that there are some really negative things happening at the moment … we are really united over some things.
“We stand for and support those people who really care us all the time.”
The service will begin at 9am.
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29 Aug, 3:36pm
Snow predicted near search ground
By Melissa Brown
Porepunkah lies at the foot of Mount Buffalo.
The search area has been recording freezing conditions, and a severe weather system is expected to cause blizzards down to 1,200m.
That means snowstorms could develop this evening down the slopes of Mount Buffalo, but not as far as the town, which is just below 300m elevation.
Hail has already fallen on the town and outside the Porepunkah Pub, snow can be seen on the nearby mountain.
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29 Aug, 3:15pm
Porepunkah locals gather together after a ‘stressful’ week
By Melissa Brown
A few dozen locals have braved the bad weather and gathered at the Porepunkah Pub.
It’s just re-opened for the first time since the shootings.
Cheryl says it’s good to be able to come out after a scary week.
“You hear something and you spin around, ‘what’s that?’, it’s just in the back of your mind all the time,” she says.
“The locals won’t let this be a cloud over us forever.”
Cheryl’s husband Chris hopes the tragedy has brought the community closer together.
“I love the community for starters, and the area is just beautiful. I wouldn’t live anywhere else,” he says.
Sydney resident Andrew has a family farm in Porepunkah, backing onto bushland.
He travels down once a month and arrived on Tuesday when the search unfolded.
“It’s been stressful,” he says.
“If it goes on for weeks and months, it will be difficult.”
He says the deaths of the police officers are tragic and difficult for the township to come to terms with.
He also thinks of the police officers battling the severe weather conditions as they scour the bush.
Cicero Parents Arrested By ICE On Child’s 10th Birthday: ‘It Feels Like A Bad Dream’
Relatives describe the couple as loving parents with no criminal history.
CHICAGO — What was supposed to be a joyous occasion turned into a nightmare for a Cicero family whose parents were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Sunday morning.
ICE agents arrested Moises Enciso Trejo, 41, Constantina Ramírez Meraz, 43, and their eldest son, 22, during a traffic stop Sunday at Cicero Avenue and Pershing Road on the Chicago-Cicero border.
The family had split into two cars that morning: Enciso, Ramírez and their 22-year-old son headed to drop off items at his college, while their 19-year-old daughter took her 10- and 12-year-old siblings to a nearby Dunkin’ Donuts before the family planned to meet for church and celebrate the youngest child’s birthday, attorney Shelby Vcelka of Victory Law Office said.
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The traffic stop was prompted after Enciso accidentally made an illegal U-turn; he was then pulled over by federal agents, Vcelka said.
The 19-year-old daughter received a call telling her that her parents and older brother had been pulled over and detained by immigration agents, prompting her to rush to the scene. She recorded her encounter with agents, which was posted on social media by Vcelka.
In the video, two children are crying, and the eldest daughter is trying to soothe them. An agent can be heard asking, “Is your brother a citizen?” after she demanded to know where her family was. “We don’t answer questions without a lawyer,” she replied. The agent pressed, “Answer yes and we’ll let him go,” but the older sister stood firm: “We can talk when our lawyer is here.”
A viral video from bystanders at the scene claims the youngest children were abandoned after the arrests, but Vcelka said that is not true.
The eldest son was released after about two hours in custody, Vcelka said, but his parents were not. The eldest son, along with his sister, currently have pending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status, which provised some protections against immigration enforcement.
Records show Enciso and Ramírez have since been separated and transferred to different facilities in different states. Their family stressed in a statement that neither of the parents has a criminal record.
“This has been incredibly traumatic for them. We’re talking about a young family who has been Cicero residents for the past several years. You know, these, these kids, have all of a sudden been left alone,” Vcelka said.
The Enciso-Ramírez family has called Cicero home for more than 18 years, according to the statement. Enciso, a construction worker is described as a friendly, outgoing neighbor, and Ramirez, who works at a local restaurant and tends lovingly to her plants, are known among friends as devoted parents and valued members of the neighborhood, the family said in a statement.
Enciso had also been eagerly awaiting a long-planned reunion with his mother, who traveled from Mexico to visit him for the first time in 20 years on Sept. 21. The reunion is now uncertain as he is in custody, the statement read.
“We would always have dinner together as a family around 7 or 8 p.m. since we have busy schedules. We have our unofficial seats and everybody respects each other’s place where we sit. Their seats are empty now,” said the eldest son in a statement. “It feels like a bad dream to not have them around, it just doesn’t feel right, the house feels very dark. It feels like there is a hole that the family is falling into.”
A petition circulating online calling for the release of Enciso and Ramírez has already garnered 4,937 signatures. A GoFundMe has also been started to help the siblings pay for necessities like rent, groceries and bills. As of Wednesday, it has raised $2,700 of its $8,000 goal.
Vcelka urged others to have a plan in case they are stopped by immigration agents and praised the eldest sister for staying calm and insisting on waiting to speak until a lawyer was present.
When agents pressed her to share her brother’s immigration status, she refused to answer, and, importantly, did not lie, Vcelka said.
“There are times when people are going to ask a question in a different way or phrase it just a little bit differently. You have to insist on your rights … I don’t know why I’ve seen this comment so many times, but do not lie to federal officers,” Vcelka said.
She also urged families to prepare in advance, saying it’s important to “know their rights” and “have a plan in place, just in case it does happen.”
