The 36-year-old Cairns man was shot dead by police while stopped on the Bruce Highway near Colosseum on Monday morning

Queensland police believe a man they shot and killed in a standoff outside Gladstone yesterday had stolen three vehicles before pointing a stolen loaded rifle at officers.

Det Insp Darrin Shadlow told media on Tuesday a police patrol came across the 36-year-old Cairns man at about 11.50am on Monday, while he was travelling in a stolen ute on the Bruce Highway near Colosseum, north of Brisbane.

“Police had not attempted to intercept that utility,” he said.

The vehicle has pulled to the side of the road. A male person has got out of that vehicle armed with a rifle. The male person has pointed that rifle at police. Subsequently police have