A well-known and beloved Wangaratta detective who was planning his retirement has been confirmed as one of the fallen policemen killed in a Porepunkah shooting on Tuesday.

Victoria Police revealed Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35, as the officers who were allegedly murdered in cold blood by Dezi Freeman, as police conducted a search warrant at his address on Rayner Track.

Det Led Sen Const Thompson had been part of Wangaratta’s Criminal Investigation Unit team for the past 18 years and was planning in earnest for his imminent retirement.

He loved getting out in nature, and his friends and colleagues regularly joined him on these trips.

He had spent the past six years with the love of his life, Lisa, and had built a new home, with a long list of tasks planned after he knocked off work for the last time.

Det Led Sen Const Thompson joined Victoria Police in September 1987 after completing his training and spent seven years in general duties at Collingwood police.

For the next decade, he worked as a detective at the Major Fraud Squad and the State Crime Squad.

Sen Const De Waart was on temporary assignment in Wangaratta and was a part of the Public Order Response Team since 2023.

The Melbourne based policeman was extremely proud to have purchased his first home in recent years and travelling was his passion.

Sen Const De Waart was fluent in French, Spanish, Flemish and English and completed scuba dives and motorcycling trips all around the world with his friends and colleagues.

He is survived by his beloved parents Carolina and Alain, who live in his native Belgium, and his younger brother Sacha who lives in Switzerland.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said the devastating loss of the two policemen struck at the heart of the force, the broader policing family and the community of Porepunkah.

“In the coming days, weeks and months, we will all grieve this loss and deeply miss our colleagues and friends who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty,” he said.

“It is not lost on me that our members take a risk every time they go to work to protect the Victorian community. While we all live with the knowledge that the worst could happen on a shift, we don’t expect it to.

“In these difficult times it is so important that our people stand together and support each other, and I have full confidence that we will all do this with dignity and respect.”

Their alleged killer, Dezi Freeman, remains at large, heavily armed and dangerous as police continue a massive search for the 56-year-old.

Freeman is alleged to have shot and seriously injured another officer, who was out of surgery Wednesday morning and was yet to be named.

Freeman was last sighted by police fleeing his property into the bush.

Seven other officers attended the search warrant including members from the sexual offences and child investigation team.

Shots were discharged by police at the suspect.

Investigators described Freeman as Caucasian, 183cm tall, medium build, short dark hair and brown eyes.

He was last seen wearing dark green khaki tracksuit pants, dark green rain jacket, brown Blundstone boots and reading glasses.

Investigators request anyone who sights him or has information about his whereabouts contact Triple Zero (000) immediately.

Anyone with other information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

An emergency alert was sent out people in the Porepunkah area Tuesday morning, urging them to stay indoors.

The alert remained active as of Wednesday afternoon and people are advised not to travel to the area.