Wangaratta Holds First Service to Honor Fallen Police Officers from Porepunkah Siege
A memorial service in Wangaratta marked the first tribute to Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, who were killed in a 2025 siege at Porepunkah.
The community gathered in Wangaratta for the initial ceremony honoring the two officers who lost their lives during an August 2025 standoff in Porepunkah, Victoria's north-east. Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart were shot dead in the incident. The service precedes a second ceremony scheduled for Bright on the one-year anniversary of their deaths.
Why it matters
The memorial underscores community solidarity and honors the sacrifice of police officers killed in the Porepunkah siege.
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