Fugitive's Seven-Month Hideout Ends in Fatal Shootout

On April 1st, fugitive Desi Freeman, who gunned down two Australian cops last August 26,

is finally dead after a seven-month manhunt. The 59-year-old detective, leading senior

constable Neil Thompson, and 34-year-old senior constable Vadim De Wart-Hottert, were killed,

sparking one of the biggest searches down under. Freeman got spotted at an off-grid camp

near the Victoria, New South Wales border, leading to a tense early morning standoff where police

lit him up, with up to 27 shots. A local tipped off cops, and after three hours of loudspeakers,

flashbang grenades and gas, Freeman stepped out wrapped in a blanket from a shipping.

Container set up. He pulled a hidden gun and aimed at it officers, prompting the heavy

fire that left him riddled like swish cheese, according to sources. Families of the fallen

officers and even Freeman's side are reeling, seeking answers on how he stayed hidden for seven

months on that, 35-hectare spot, about 180 kilometers from the crime scene. Right after the

shootings, he texted his wife saying, see you in heaven, and later called an associate admitting

he messed up big time, but cops couldn't track him then. Now, Victoria police is launching an

independent probe as protocol, with a corner taking over to dissect everything. The cop killings,

Freeman's final, moments, and his whole run. Experts say it'll include high-tech 3D

reconstructions of positions, bullet paths, and decisions to shoot, plus digging into child

abuse claims, that drew police to his place originally. That coronial inquest should bring closure

with clear facts, recommendations to avoid repeats, and maybe even release that key footage if it

clears up. Doubts.