Police probe Dezi Freeman's support network after officers' deaths

Detectives are working to unravel the support network that may have helped Dezi Freeman evade authorities for more than seven months following the fatal shooting of two police officers in Porepunkah. The investigation has shifted focus from Freeman's movements to understanding who might have aided him in staying hidden before he was killed in a confrontation with police in March.

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He framed that very much himself in his numerous media interviews claiming victimhood at the hands of police, hostile neighbours and others.

Investigators believe Freeman traveled between Victoria and New South Wales while on the run. Since April, seven properties across both states have been searched as part of the effort to piece together how he avoided capture for so long. Five individuals have been arrested in connection with the investigation but were later released without charge.

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In that context, any form of violence by him [Freeman] would have been seen through a narrative or a lens of self-defence and him protecting himself.

Attention is now turning to the motivations behind any potential assistance Freeman received and the nature of those connections. Political sociologist Josh Roose from Deakin University noted that Freeman consistently portrayed himself as a victim in numerous media interviews, claiming mistreatment by police and others. Roose suggested that various factors could have led people to support Freeman, particularly within sovereign citizen forums where similar incidents have been celebrated or questioned.

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They view themselves as righteous in that context … It is not at all unusual for these individuals and actors to justify violence on those terms.

"In that context, any form of violence by him [Freeman] would have been seen through a narrative or a lens of self-defence and him protecting himself," Roose explained. He added that for some, ideology can supersede serious allegations, leading them to view themselves as "righteous" and justify violence. Roose highlighted that communication within these extremist networks often occurs online, with individuals potentially sharing more ideological common ground with distant contacts than with their immediate neighbors. He believes members of such networks are unlikely to cooperate with police.

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What's unique about modern extremism is that you may have more in common with someone a couple of hundred kilometres, or thousands of kilometres away ideologically than you do with your neighbours.