<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/porepunkah-victoria-police-shooting-live-updates-latest-news-headlines-august-27/5ee3d7e6-9199-4943-b773-97824e918a23" rel="" target="_blank" title="The small country town of Porepunkah"><span>The small country town of Porepunkah</span></a><span> has a population of a little over 1000 people.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It consists of just one pub, a tiny primary school, a few cafes and only two roads out.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Located 300km from Melbourne, the quiet community of Porepunkah is nestled in the foothills of the Victorian Alps in north-east Victoria.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Yesterday, it was put on the map after two police officers were tragically gunned down and a third was seriously injured in a shooting.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/porepunkah-victoria-police-shooting-live-updates-latest-news-headlines-august-27/5ee3d7e6-9199-4943-b773-97824e918a23" target="_blank"><strong><span>Police search rural Victoria for alleged cop killer</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The entire town has been plunged into lockdown for the past 24 hours as the manhunt for accused killer Dezi Freeman continues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The streets are empty as hundreds of police officers comb the area and surrounding rugged bushland.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/porepunkah-police-shooting-update-where-is-porepunkah-inside-country-town/5c46856d-b595-40f5-9969-e2039cbeac2b" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Porepunkah locals are still in lockdown and have been warned to stay inside.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Text messages have been sent out to residents warning of an "active armed offender" in the general area of Porepunkah.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The local council Alpine Shire Council said in a statement yesterday it was closing all council facilities "immediately".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This included libraries, sport centres and the visitor centre.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/porepunkah-police-shooting-dezi-freeman-previously-called-police-terrorist-thugs-in-fight-against-driving-fines/8ca84c17-29e5-4018-bbf2-829e5ed71978" target="_blank"><strong><span>Accused cop killer previously called police 'terrorist thugs'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As darkness descended on Porepunkah last night, the local pub was closed and residents hunkered down inside waiting for news from police.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Porepunkah Primary School also remains closed today, but it's the only one to shut its doors in the state's north-east region.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Locals told 9News today that nobody will be able to rest until the alleged cop killer is apprehended.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A family that runs a caravan park just a few hundred metres from where the shooting took place at Porepunkah yesterday spoke about the "surreal" ordeal the town is going through.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Emily White, who manages the Mount Buffalo Caravan Park, said it was "really, really terrifying".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/porepunkah-victoria-police-officer-shooting-at-rural-property/fdd5dcce-fb0f-4c32-9d6a-2910db764fe7" target="_blank"><strong><span>What we know about the fatal police shooting in Porepunkah</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Her father Glenn Sied said he had been driving back from Wangaratta when he saw police cars tearing towards the town.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And then I spoke to the police and they said, just start locking down, there's a gunman on the loose," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And we went, right, well that's interesting. And yeah, had to, you know, all staff had to be inside all cars, everything, all our machinery locked down.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"So it was sort of panic control until we sort of got a bit more information. The police come flying through the parks looking everywhere. Nobody had any nobody had any idea what was going on."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sied told </span><em><span>Today</span></em><span> that their caravan park remains closed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We're still going to stay indoors, keep safe and basically locked down inside until further notice," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We had guests staying at the park. Unfortunately last night they couldn't get back in due to where we are."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The rugged terrain surrounding Porepunkah and the alpine region has made the search difficult for police.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police have admitted the alleged gunman Dezi Freeman knows the area better than officers and that "anything's possible".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our understanding of him is he understands bushcraft well, which provides a challenge for us," Victoria's Chief Police Commissioner Mike Bush said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But we keep an absolutely open mind on what options are open to him, and those options will inform our approach."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Contingency plans are also in place in case Freeman tried to cross the border, with NSW Police briefed on the situation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A command post has been set up on the outskirts of the town, around halfway between Eurobin and Porepunkah.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police have also been searching the town of Bright, which is located just 5km from Porepunkah.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bright is a popular tourist destination and is the base for travellers visiting Mount Buffalo National Park, Alpine National Park and Mount Hotham.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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