A police officer who survived being shot by Dezi Freeman has opened up about his ordeal in a new podcast that explores the manhunt for one of Australia’s most wanted criminals.
The officer, who was the third police officer shot by Freeman during an attempted arrest in Porepunkah last August, has shared his emotional journey of recovery for the first time.
Speaking about their most recent encounter, Wayne Gatt of the Police Association Victoria described the officer’s current state as “sombre.”
“I caught up with him last on the day we tried to arrest the offender,” Gatt said, referring to the attempt to capture Freeman which ended with the 56-year-old shot dead in March.
“He’s sombre. He’s having to process the recovery of his own physical and emotional injuries as a result of that,” the investigator said.
“And we did share a beer on that day to process what was happening.”
The interview forms part of the new 7NEWS podcast, Dezi Freeman - The Hunt, which delves into the extensive manhunt for Freeman and examines the sovereign citizen movement.
The series features multiple never-before-told stories from those involved in the case, providing unprecedented insight into one of Australia’s most intense police operations.
The podcast is available now on 7plus, LiSTNR, or wherever podcasts are downloaded.
