Police have vowed to hunt down the man who allegedly killed two officers and injured a third in a shooting at Porepunkah in rural Victoria.

Dezi Freeman, formerly known as Filby, allegedly opened fire at police at Porepunkah on Tuesday morning, shooting dead two officers and wounding a third.

There has been no sighting of Freeman since, but an intensive search has been ongoing.

Further bangs were reportedly heard near the Porepunkah property about 3pm on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference outside Wangaratta Police Station about an hour earlier, Deputy Commissioner of Regional Operations Russell Barrett and Superintendent Brett Kahan said police had “every available asset” deployed and would “not rest” until Freeman was found.

“We will not rest until we apprehend the (alleged) offender, and we will keep (the community) safe,” Superintendent Kahan said.

He says he still believes the situation can be resolved peacefully, and urged Mr Freeman to turn himself in.

“If Dezi Freeman is watching this, ring triple-0,” he said.

“We will support a surrender plan, that option is open to him.”

Commissioner Barrett also issued a warning to anyone who may be helping Freeman.

“What I would say to the community and say to anyone who may be considering or harbouring or supporting him, they need to reconsider,” Commissioner Barrett said.

“They are committing a criminal offence and we will prosecute them.”

Commissioner Barrett said police had been checking properties in the area and had also spoken to Freeman’s wife and have had “no confirmed” sightings of Freeman.

He said the search was taking place in “difficult terrain” and required caution, urging anyone with information to come forward.

“We need the community’s support in this operation, it’s our highest priority to arrest this offender,” he said.

The 56-year-old fled into dense bushland and there have been no confirmed sightings of him since.

The bangs on Thursday follow a number of loud bangs coming from the property at the centre of the enormous manhunt on Wednesday afternoon.

However, there has been no confirmation about what may have caused the sound, which both media and Porepunkah residents heard.

Parliament pays honour to slain officers

In Canberra, parliament was paused and politicians stood in silence to pay respect to the slain officers.

Anthony Albanese said both men were heroes and said the parliament offered their “deepest condolence” to the families, friends and colleagues of Detective Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart.

“This is what was stolen by gunfire,” he said.

“Two lives full of future happiness, years of happy memories that should have been made and treasured with others.”

Sussan Ley recognised both men as Australian heroes who felt a “spark to do more” and dedicated their careers to services.

“These men stood up. These men put on the uniform. These men, like all our police, protected our community,” she said.

The Opposition Leader called on Australians to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the Victorian police force”.

“The loss of Neal and Vadim serves as a stark reminder not only of the danger that police officers face each day but of the bravery and the courage it takes to serve,” she said.

“Every police officer who puts on that uniform to go to work has our respect and gratitude.”

Federal MP for Indi Helen Haines also gave an emotional tribute to her “”beautiful, idyllic mountain village”. He said both men were “much valued” members of their local communities and “respected officers”.

“They so deserved the chance to keep living those lives, it’s with deep, deep sadness we honour them and their service,” he said.

“You heard that Neil was an adventurer who loved the outdoors, and he was within days of his retirement, with his beloved partner, Lisa.

“Vadim grew up in Belgium and loved travel, and our region, not a place to travel to, was another in his long list of beautiful places he was welcomed and had so much to explore in what is an outdoor playground.”

Bombshell theory on fugitive’s whereabouts

Porepunkah locals believe alleged cop killer Dezi Freeman would see suicide in the remote bush as “sweet revenge”, forcing police to waste resources searching for his body.

Freeman allegedly opened fire on officers on a property in the rural Victorian town on Tuesday morning, shooting dead two officers and wounding a third.

The manhunt for the self-proclaimed sovereign citizen has now entered its third day, with police revealing there have been no confirmed sightings of the alleged gunman since Tuesday.

Police have warned Freeman is believed to be “heavily armed” and has an extensive knowledge of the area’s bushland.

One Porepunkah resident told NewsWire on Thursday morning that he suspected the alleged gunman would see this as “sweet revenge”.

“If he’s (dead) in some hidey-hole, they won’t find him for months. That would his ultimate, sweet revenge,” he said.

The resident, who did not want to be named, said in his opinion the protracted police search would not be a point of contention among locals.

“I don’t take that personally. It’s sh--ty, yeah … it’s collateral damage,” he said.

“Life will go on. If we don’t get closure in the coming days, I guess life will return to normal.”

Manhunt enters third day

A huge emergency presence remains on the ground as the hung for Freeman continues.

Experts say aerial technology is playing a key role in the search.

Michael Coates, Director of Operations for Australia at C-Astral Aerospace, told the ABC that the police rescue helicopter has multiple assets at its disposal, including optical, infra-red, and thermal cameras.

“Optical and infra-red wouldn’t work so well in the weather conditions that we’ve got at the moment, but the thermal camera would do a good job at trying to locate the fugitive,” Mr Coates said.

He said thermal cameras are particularly effective in dense foliage, as they can filter out vegetation and highlight the heat signature of a person on the ground, even distinguishing humans from animals.

While authorities have the option to deploy personnel on foot, Mr Coates said aerial assets offer significant advantages.

“They’re assets that are somewhat disposable. If you put a person into that big bush, they could be right on top of the fugitive and get a big surprise before they even know he’s there, where a drone can be overhead 200 feet to 400 feet. It makes no noise on the ground, so the fugitive doesn’t know something is overhead, searching for him,” he said.

Mr Coates added that while some shelters, like caves or abandoned gold mines, could provide temporary protection from thermal detection, extreme weather conditions make survival in the area extremely challenging.

“It’s a horrible place to be at the moment with low cloud rain sleets. If you’re wet, you’ve got a good chance of dying within 24 hours,” he said.

“If you’re tucked away in a cave somewhere and you’ve got a stash of supplies, everyone says that he was a prepper, so he may have different locations with food and water, and in those situations, you could stay there for weeks.”

Historian from nearby Myrtleford Terry McCormack said authorities would face challenges searching abandoned gold mines, as there are very few in the area where police suspect the gunman may be hiding.

Mr McCormack told NewsWire that Freeman would be more likely to be hiding in a natural granite cave than an abandoned gold mine.

“We have lots of records about the mining, Mr McCormack said.

“A hiding place there probably doesn’t involve an old mine shaft.

“That general area of the Buckland Valley, there’s not many mines … there was no gold there. The gold was further north.”

Slain officers identified

Victoria Police have identified the two slain officers as Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35.

Senior Constable Paul Hogan told ABC Radio on Thursday morning that there had been no confirmed sighting of the alleged gunman since Tuesday.

“To give you an idea of the resources that we’ve deployed to the area, we’ve got Homicide Squad, Armed Crime Squad, Fugitive Squad, Special Operations Group, Critical Incident Response team – they all remain in the Porepunkah area,” he said.

Porepunkah residents have been urged to stay indoors while the manhunt is on foot.

“We’re sympathetic to the Porepunkah people,” Constable Hogan said.

“We know it’s not ideal for them that they need to stay indoors and be conscious of what’s around them.

“But remember, this man is believed to be armed with firearms and we urge people not to approach him.

“If anyone sights this man or someone they believe to be this man, we urge them do not approach him – call triple-0 immediately.”

School reopens as town shuts down

The Porepunkah Primary School has reopened on Thursday, about 48 hours after the shootings took place just 2.5km away.

The school – which has 106 enrolled students – was locked down on Tuesday and then closed on Wednesday, as hordes of police searched bushland within 5km of the school gates. Notifications went out to parents Wednesday night saying the school would be open Thursday.

One parent around the Porepunkah township at 7am on Thursday told NewsWire he had no issue with sending his daughter to school.

Speaking about 9am, principal Jill Gillies said she had not made a formal headcount of attendance yet, as parents were given the choice on whether to keeps kids home or not.

“Some have (dropped their kids at school). It’s a parent choice.

“They’re just making their choice that is the best possible thing for their child,” Ms Gillies said.

A Department of Education spokesman told NewsWire the school reopened “following advice from Victoria Police that it is safe to do so”.

“Police and support staff will be present at the school throughout the day to provide reassurance to families, staff and students,” they said.

“If there is any change to police advice that requires a change to these arrangements, families will be notified accordingly.”

While the primary school has reopened, Bright P-12 College will be closed Thursday due to a pre-planned student-free day.

Porepunkah Pub will remain closed on Thursday as the hunt for Freeman continues.

“Our staff have been instructed not to leave their homes, and their safety, along with that of our guests and wider community, remains our top priority,” the business wrote in a social media post.

“We want to continue being a safe space for our community to gather and will open our doors again as soon as it is possible to do so.”

Dark gloomy skies cover the northeast Victorian town on Thursday, and there were no signs of major police activity on its roads in the hour or so after daybreak.

Conditions are expected to be difficult for officers in the High Country on Thursday, with a very high chance of showers and blistering winds smashing the state’s east.

Police are warning people in the area of Porepunkah to lock their cars as well as houses.

In the latest emergency text message which went out to phones in the area about 9.40am Thursday, police reiterate the gunman is still on the loose.

“Specialist police continue to search for Desmond Freeman (Filby) who is armed and dangerous.

“Multiple police units remain in the general area of Porepunkah. If you see Desmond, call triple-0 immediately and do not approach him.

“Restrict non-essential travel and remain indoors with buildings and vehicles locked where possible. Roadblocks may be in place,” the emergency message said.

The previous area-wide text message, which went out Wednesday afternoon, did not include the warning about locking houses and vehicles.

Loud bangs ring through town as search continues

Loud bangs could be heard coming from the property at the centre of the enormous manhunt on Wednesday afternoon.

However, there has been no confirmation about what may have caused the sound, which both media and Porepunkah residents claimed to have heard.

Helicopters were hovering over the property where the officers were killed about 4.30pm Wednesday.

Five dog squad 4WDs were seen leaving the property, with two ambulances seen driving to the Rayner track address about an hour later.

City bathed in blue to honour fallen officers

Melbourne has paid respects to the officers killed in action on Tuesday, with some of the city’s most iconic buildings bathed in blue lights.

Iconic landmarks across the city, including Flinders St Station, Federation Square, and the Bolte Bridge, were lit up in blue to commemorate the fallen officers.

“With honour they served,” Premier Jacinta Allan wrote on social media.

Further north, the Rural City of Wangaratta also paid tribute to the slain officers by lighting up its water tower in blue lights, which will remain in place for a week,

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to their families, friends, and police colleagues during this difficult time, as well as to our neighbours in the Alpine Shire Council community,” a statement read.

“Our thoughts are also with all the police and emergency service teams who attended the scene.

“In remembrance of the two Victoria Police members and to honour the extraordinary work of Victoria Police in protecting and supporting our community, the Water Tower will be illuminated in blue this week.”

Across the state, police stations have been inundated with tributes from the public, who have laid flowers and delivered baked goods in honour of the fallen officers.

“This tragedy is felt by us all and knowing that our community stands beside us means more than words can express. Your kindness and compassion is very much appreciated,” a statement from Mornington Police Service read.

What is known about the alleged shooter

On Wednesday, police revealed further details about the alleged shooter and self-proclaimed sovereign citizen, whose real name is Desmond Filby.

They said the 56-year-old was last seen wearing dark green/khaki tracksuit pants, a dark green rain jacket, brown Blundstone boots and reading glasses.

He is believed to be heavily armed with knowledge of the bushland, with Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush telling reporters on Wednesday it was possible he was hiding in a bunker or had set up traps in the area.

“Anything is possible,” he said.

“He knows that area, even though we have experts in the area, he will know that area better than us.

“So, that’s why we’re putting in every expert and supported by local knowledge as well. We must find him.”

Heavily armed officers in camouflage set up a meeting point at Feathertop Winery just outside the town, with at least 30 vehicles, including a fortified Bearcat military-style police vehicle.

A no-fly zone has been established in the 7.5km radius of the winery.

The temporary restricted airspace includes all aircraft, including drones, and will be in place until at least 11.30pm on Friday.

“Given the suspect in this matter is heavily armed, this condition has been granted due to the risk to aircraft and drones, as well as potential implications associated with the suspect tracking police movements based off media coverage,” police said.