Stabbing dragnet

By Kath Gannaway
THE SEARCH for a 32-year-old Belgrave man accus-ed of stabbing Healesville police officer Chris Bullen last Tuesday night (7 December) has moved on after a positive sighting of the man in the Hurstbridge/Wallan area on Sunday.
Sen Const Bullen suffered eight stab wounds during a confrontation with James D’Zilva at the Shell service station around 10.15pm.
Healesville police had earlier sent out an email to local media saying they were wanting to talk with Mr D’Zilva, who had been listed as a missing person and who was known to have psychiatric problems.
There had been reports of Mr D’Zilva and of another man being seen around Healesville High School and Officer in Charge at Healesville police, Sgt Wayne Williams called on the public to call police, but not to approach or chase D’Zilva if they saw him.
As paramedics attended to Sen Const Bullen at the petrol station just metres from Healesville police station, a massive search was launched with the police dog squad, airwing, Special Operations Group and police from all around Yarra Ranges and the metropolitan Melbourne patrolling the area as the search intensified by Wednesday morning.
Healesville was on high alert with police responding to sightings; Healesville High School was in lock down for a short-time on Thursday as police searched nearby and residents in and around the town found themselves in the spotlight as armed police searched bushland properties.
Superintendent Geoff Forti on Friday again urged the community not to confront or chase D’Zilva, but to phone Triple-zero if he was sighted.
He confirmed there had been several sightings but said D’Zilva was quick on his feet and had a good understanding of bushcraft.
“He is very fit, very fast and his goal is to avoid detection,” he said.
He said he had a fight or flight response, which was demonstrated with what was a chance confrontation with Sen Const Bullen.
“There is nothing to suggest that it was planned, but obviously we are concerned at the serious consequences,” he said. “We’re not suggesting he would want to take up a fight but if cornered he will have a go. If he can get away, he will.”
Supt Forti said there was a strong possibility D’Zilva did not know the outcome of his actions on Tuesday night – whether Sen Const Bullen had survived or not, or an understanding what the consequences of his actions were.
“Seeing the police presence, he would be very concerned about that.
“What we hope to do is to contact him so we can convince him that his welfare is also our concern,” he said.
He told the Mail on Monday that a contained grid search of the area in which D’Zilva was suspected to be in was conducted by the Special Operations Group on Saturday without success and that the SOG was then withdrawn.
The sighting in Hurstbridge on Monday morning and later in Wallan moved the focus from the Healesville area, he said.