A Belgian-born police officer was among two officers fatally shot on Tuesday in the Australian town of Porepunkah, Victoria, with a third officer seriously injured, Australian police confirmed on Facebook.
The officers were reportedly ambushed while attempting to execute a search warrant at the home of a suspect, Australian media said. The man was wanted on charges related to a sexual offence.
One of the slain officers, identified as 35-year-old Vadim De Waart, began his career with Victoria Police in December 2018. Originally from Belgium, De Waart was described as “an eternal optimist and a passionate traveller,” fluent in French, Spanish, Flemish, and English.
“Vadim leaves behind his beloved parents, who reside in Belgium, and his younger brother, who lives in Switzerland,” Victoria Police stated in their Facebook post.
The 56-year-old suspect is believed to have been living in a bus and is reportedly associated with the “sovereign citizen” ideology, a movement of conspiracy theorists who reject government authority. After the incident, he fled into the nearby bushland.
Authorities have launched a manhunt and urged residents in Porepunkah and surrounding areas to “exercise extreme caution” and “remain indoors until further notice.”
