A gunman on the run in the bush in Australia after being accused of killing two officers was being aided by locals, police said Monday, as the manhunt entered its seventh day.

Heavily armed suspect Dezi Freeman, 56, fled into the bush last week after opening fire on a team of police officers at his home in the eastern state of Victoria, police said.

The shooting in the rural town of Porepunkah killed 59-year-old detective Neal Thompson and 35-year-old senior constable Vadim De Waart.

A third officer was wounded but is expected to recover, they said.

Victorian Police superintendent Brett Kahan said Monday authorities believe someone may be harbouring Freeman.

"People know the whereabouts of the person who has killed two cops," he said.

"People have chosen, for whatever reason, not to

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