Andrew Swift, the landlord of Dezi Freeman, has broken his silence nearly nine months after the fatal shooting of two police officers on his property, asserting that key aspects of the event have been misunderstood. Swift claims he assisted a third, wounded officer at the scene and provided police with Freeman's contact information, while also disputing allegations of Freeman's adherence to sovereign-citizen ideology.
Swift described a chaotic scene following the shooting of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart on August 26, 2025. He stated he found one officer bleeding heavily from a lower body injury and offered to retrieve a more suitable vehicle to transport the wounded man to an ambulance, after initial attempts with a tractor proved insufficient.
"I could tell because of his lower injury I wouldn't be able to get him in the Kubota [tractor], so I then said to police I'm going to go get a more suitable vehicle, so we can get this guy in, get him to the ambulance," Swift recounted.
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Swift also claims to have given Dezi Freeman's mobile number to the police to aid their search after the shooting. He further alleged that Freeman had told police the warrant for his arrest was not valid.
Accounts of the Day
Swift recounted his last conversation with Dezi Freeman before the fatal encounter. According to Swift, Freeman stated he was in the bus, but later contradicted this by saying he was elsewhere. "And on one hand, he says, 'I'm in the bus', and then on the other he says he's down … Just be calm," Swift said.
The landlord also detailed a conversation with Freeman's wife, Mali Freeman, who, in the moments before the shooting, reportedly contacted him in distress. "The police are here, and they’ve surrounded the bus, and they’re trying to get in," she allegedly told Swift. Swift then contacted Dezi Freeman, asking his whereabouts, to which Freeman reportedly replied, "Just be calm or whatever."
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Swift claimed he was threatened with arrest if he intervened, with approximately ten officers surrounding the bus on his property. He stated he "surrendered" his house to police for over two weeks following the incident as part of their investigation.
Freeman's Demise
Dezi Freeman escaped into rugged alpine bushland after the ambush, initiating a months-long cross-border manhunt. Specialist officers eventually tracked him to a remote camp near Thologolong on March 30, 2026, where he was shot dead. This event concluded a significant police operation that began after the August 2025 killings.
Context and Background
The property in Porepunkah became the centre of national attention following the deaths of the two officers. Swift's statements aim to address what he perceives as misunderstandings surrounding the event, including allegations that Freeman subscribed to 'sovereign-citizen ideology'. Swift insists that key parts of the narrative have been misconstrued. The officers were reportedly executing a warrant related to suspected child abuse images found on Freeman's devices. Swift maintains he was the only eyewitness outside of the police and the Freeman family present at the shooting.
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