Australians praised the efforts of police after news broke that Dezi Freeman had finally been found on Monday.
The 56-year-old was shot dead by members of a special operations group after a stand-off outside a ‘long container’ in north-east Victoria.
‘Well done, Victoria Police,’ one wrote.
Some argued Freeman should have faced trial, while others shared their disbelief that he had actually been caught, demanding to see police bodycam footage.
‘He should have been captured and made to stand trial. Police are not judge, jury and executioner,’ one added.
Macquarie University criminology expert Dr Vince Hurley told Daily Mail that Freeman had taken the ‘coward’s way out’.
He said there was only one group of people who could answer whether or not Freeman faced the justice he deserved.
‘The only ones than can actually answer this are the victims’ families,’ he said.
Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 34, were the two officers killed by Freeman.
The pair had travelled to the property in Porepunkah, north-east of Melbourne, alongside eight colleagues to execute a warrant for alleged sexual offences.
Constable Thompson’s best friend John Bird said he was relieved to hear the news about Freeman.
‘It’s a good day,’ he told ABC News.
‘It doesn’t change Thommo, but it is a good day because at least the person who caused it is not drawing breath anymore.
‘I hope everyone that has been helping him, because he can’t have been doing this alone, suffers the full force of the law too.
‘It’s just a relief. Like I said, it doesn’t change anything much, but it is closure on that side of things.’
