Man killed in cop standoff

A KNIFE-WIELDING man has been shot dead by police following a standoff on Melbourne’s Monash Freeway.

Police were called about 9.30am yesterday following reports of a distressed man in the emergency lane.

Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill said officers tried negotiating with the 53-yearold when he produced a knife.

“We tried to actually calm the male down,” he said, adding the man then advanced on officers with the knife. Police fired a nonlethal beanbag round before he was fatally shot twice in the chest.