SYDNEY, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Police on Wednesday morning continued to search for a man who fatally shot two officers in the southeast Australian state of Victoria the day before.
The gunman killed a 59-year-old detective and a 35-year-old senior constable, and injured a third officer, who were executing a warrant at his property in the rural town of Porepunkah, 210 km northeast of Melbourne, on Tuesday morning before fleeing into nearby bushland.
The incident triggered a major police search involving tactical officers, aerial assets and dog squads across Victoria's alpine region on Tuesday, which continued on Wednesday.
Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush on Wednesday morning identified the suspect as 56-year-old local man Dezi Freeman, who he said was heavily armed.
"We are pouring every resource into this search for this person; we must find him," Bush said at a press conference. "All of our specialist resources are there to make this happen. The hunt will continue until we find him."
He said that police have accounted for the whereabouts of Freeman's wife and children after local media initially reported that they had joined him on the run.
Residents of Porepunkah and nearby towns have been advised to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel and immediately report any sightings of Freeman, or anything suspicious, to police.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said during an appearance on Australian Broadcasting Corporation television on Tuesday night that the shooting was a "horrific" incident.
"This is terrible news, and my heart goes out to the families who are grieving tonight," he said.
The officer who was injured in the shooting underwent surgery on Tuesday night and is expected to make a full recovery. ■
