A suspect who shot and killed two police officers and seriously injured a third in Australia's rural south-east has been identified, police said.

A manhunt is underway for Dezi Freeman, 56, who is heavily armed and experienced in wilderness survival skills, Victoria state's chief commissioner of police Mike Bush told reporters.

The local residents have been urged to stay indoors.

The whereabouts of Freeman's wife and two children were initially unknown, but Mr Bush said they had visited a police station and spoken to officers late on Tuesday night.

The shooting happened earlier on Tuesday , when 10 armed police officers tried to execute a search warrant at Freeman's property in Porepunkah, a town of just over 1,000 people located 200 miles north-east of Melbourne.

Image: The suspe

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