00:00I'm here outside Victoria Police's staging point just outside Paul Punker where the search for Desi Freeman is well underway.
00:09Just moments ago we saw a large contingent of special operations officers meet up, gather together where they appeared to be receiving a briefing
00:16before a large convoy of police vehicles rolled out of this area as part of the search.
00:22In the last half hour we've also just seen both the ambulance helicopter as well as police chopper land.
00:28It appears that the police chopper is preparing to head out soon.
00:32Conditions have in the last hour eased which is good news for police.
00:36The rain has stopped as of now.
00:39The fog and cloud cover that we really saw descend over this alpine region also appears to have lifted
00:44which means visibility is a lot better which hopefully should mean it's a bit easier for Victoria Police.
00:50The conditions this morning have been very trying.
00:53We know that Desi Freeman is very familiar with this local area.
00:57He is an experienced survivalist and we also know that he is heavily armed.
01:01So while this search is continuing, police are continuing to urge residents of Paul Punker to stay indoors if they can
01:08to avoid any unnecessary travel while the search continues.
01:11And how are locals feeling, Leanne?
01:16Well, residents of Paul Punker remain quite anxious.
01:19They're quite worried.
01:20It is, as you mentioned, the third day that we've entered where the search for Desi Freeman is still continuing.
01:26However, we are starting to see signs that some residents are trying to return to a sense of normality,
01:32get back to their normal routines.
01:34Paul Punker Primary School this morning reopened its doors.
01:37It closed in the immediate aftermath of the shooting because it's located just about six minutes from where the shooting took place.
01:43Today it reopened with extra councillors on hand for residents and staff as well as students.
01:50There's also a bit of a police presence.
01:52We spoke to the principal of Paul Punker Primary, Jill Gillies, early this morning and she said that not all students returned.
01:58That was to be expected because it is up to parents whether or not they want to bring their students back, their children back rather.
02:05We also spoke to one of the parents who also brought his child back to school and here's what he had to say today.
02:11The school's a very safe place for him so he's very happy and the staff's been doing a great job keeping everyone safe.
02:17My wife's a school teacher so it makes things a little bit easier but yeah, I don't think many parents would take their kids to school and I can't blame them for that.
02:24Overnight we saw some quite moving tributes to Detective Leading Senior Constable Neil Thompson as well as Senior Constable Vadim Vadat where monuments as well as landmarks in both Melbourne and Albury and Wodonga were lit up in blue in Melbourne.
02:40Landmarks such as Flinders Street Station, the NGV, the Royal Exhibition Building were bathed in blue light in tributes of those two men and flags were lowered to half-mast in both Melbourne and across those towns.
02:52Neil and both Vadim have been remembered as being wonderful people.
02:56Neil Thompson was ending, seeing the end of his long career with Victoria Police.
03:02He'd served in the force for 38 years.
03:05He was said to be looking forward to retirement.
03:07He really enjoyed hunting and fishing.
03:09Whilst Vadim, he joined Victoria Police back in 2018.
03:13He enjoyed travelling.
03:14He'd spoke four languages and both these men are really being remembered by their colleagues, their friends.
03:21As we heard from Chief Commissioner Mike Bush who said the loss of both Neil and Vadim had struck at the heart of Victoria Police.
Comments