Unmasked: The suspected Porepunkah sovereign citizen gunman who allegedly shot dead two cops – and the chilling warnings and threats he posted about police for YEARS

The sovereign citizen gunman who allegedly shot two cops dead and wounded a third had previously sent chilling warnings and threats to police and authority figures.

Dezi Bird Freeman – who changed his name from Desmond Filby – allegedly opened fire with a shotgun when police arrived at a remote property near Porepunkah in the Victorian High Country on Tuesday morning.

They were there to execute a warrant relating to historical sex abuse allegations, but Freeman, 56, allegedly shot two of the officers dead and blasted the third in the legs.

The gunman allegedly grabbed the dead officers’ firearms before taking his wife and two children hostage, then fled into the wilderness, sparking a huge police search.

Freeman previously worked in the area as a landscape photographer but became an anti-authoritarian and changed his name from Filby to Freeman to mirror his beliefs.

He is a controversial and well-known figure within the local community for his bizarre sovereign citizen dogma, insisting he is above the law 

He singled out one female police officer in court for vicious abuse after she she pulled him over for traffic offences on September 28, 2020.

During a lengthy appeal process, he branded police in court as ‘frigging Nazis’, ‘Gestapo’ and ‘terrorist thugs.’ 

During Covid, one of Freeman’s like-minded ‘sov cit’ mates posted on social media about the ‘disaster state Victoria and the rest of Australia is in’.

Freeman responded: ‘Hell awaits those traitor maggots. There is no escape. The clock is ticking!’

He unleashed again five years ago in response to another ‘sov cit’ being pulled over by police because his registration was 17 days expired.

‘Sounds like they broke many laws in putting a DVO on you,’ he replied.

‘It is not valid, there is no DVO. Drive your car, ignore their bulls*** and call them out on every law they have broken.

‘Don’t let them hear any case against you until their crimes have been prosecuted. Arrest any criminal who breaks any laws in the court. 

‘Get the hell out of the corrupt magistrate’s courts and either go higher or shut down the case completely!’

In 2021, Freeman, together with his mate Jim Rech, attempted to privately charge then-Victorian Premier Dan Andrews with treason and fraud, and summoned him to Myrtleford Magistrates Court.

Mr Andrews wasn’t required to be present at court.

The case was swiftly thrown out.

Before the case was heard, Channel 7 cameras captured footage of Freeman being tackled to the ground as he protested outside the court.

He shouted about ‘terrorist criminal filth’ as he was marched away by sheriffs. 

‘Everyone knows that these scumbags are b***hurt because they’re obsessed with power,’ he said.

It was alleged Freeman had been ‘king hit’ and thrown to the road, sustaining face injuries, amid an alleged ‘unprovoked attack by these state-hired thugs’.

Supporters claimed police ‘frog-marched’ Freeman 400m through the centre of Myrtleford in an act of ‘public humiliation’.

It was also claimed Freeman’s wife Mali had sustained bruising to her arm while attempting to help her husband.

In 2018, Freeman hit the headlines for an entirely different reason when he featured in a story on Nine’s A Current Affair.

He was embroiled in a ‘Bogans from Mt Buffalo’ on a dispute between Freeman, his wife, and their new neighbours, who they claimed were causing chaos with noisy dirt bikes and chainsaws.

A Current Affair reported an ‘all out war’ between the Freemans and the next-door family had erupted.

The Freemans in that case welcomed the police fining their neighbours over the chainsaw incident because it had breached a noise ‘abatement notice’.

On Tuesday the neighbouring family told the Daily Mail the Freemans had put them  ‘through hell’ – and they hoped people could now see who the real villains were. 

On Tuesday, Porepunkah was reeling from the news that an active gunman was at large.

Speaking to Daily Mail from the locked-down Mount Buffalo Caravan Park, Emily – whose mum owns the park – revealed officers were desperately searching their premises in case Freeman had entered.

She said campers in tents were shifted to secure cabins and police have advised people not to leave keys in their cars.

‘We’re all ok but a bit rattled, stuff like this doesn’t happen here,’ she said.

Porepunkah residents were told to stay indoors while the police operation unfolds.

Children at Porepunkah Primary School were locked down at 11.30am, but were able to be collected by their parents around 4pm. 

Jill Gillies, the school’s principal, told ABC radio ‘we’re all safe and calm and having the best time we possibly can under the circumstances’.

Alpine Shire Council has closed all its facilities while the gunman remained at large.

‘This includes all transfer stations, libraries and Visitor Information Centres and Depots across the Shire, Council’s Customer Service Centre in Bright and Bright Sports Centre,’ the council said on social media.

Premier Jacinta Allan has advised Victorians to avoid the Porepunkah area and follow police advice.

In a statement posted to X on Tuesday just after 1.30pm, Ms Allan said the ‘thoughts of all Victorians’ were with the police force following the shootings.

‘A police operation is currently underway in Porepunkah, in Victoria’s northeast,’ she wrote.

‘I have been briefed by the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police. This situation remains active.’

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was ‘very concerned for some of the police officers who are involved’.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said ‘our thoughts and prayers are with Victoria Police right now’.

Police have directed all media covering the unfolding event to Wangaratta Police Station.

‘This is an active and ongoing incident which may present significant risk to members of the public. We are asking that you do not attend the scene at this time,’ the spokesperson said.