Swedish police shot an armed man outside the Royal Palace in central Stockholm on Tuesday evening after responding to reports of a disruptive individual carrying a weapon, authorities said. The man was struck by police gunfire and taken to hospital with injuries described as serious but not life-threatening. Police said there was no danger to the public, and the Royal Court confirmed that no member of the royal family was at the palace at the time.
Evening confrontation
The alarm came in at around 6:30 p.m. near Lejonbacken, close to the palace entrance, prompting a large police operation that Swedish media said involved about 20 police cars, with ambulances also called to the scene. Officers responding to the reports opened fire on the man, and he was taken to hospital by ambulance.
"The man was hit and taken to hospital," Stockholm police spokeswoman Susanna Rinaldo told AFP, adding that his injuries were considered serious but not life-threatening. She declined to specify the type of weapon involved while the operation was ongoing, but later updates from police and the Royal Court confirmed the man had been carrying a knife and had acted threateningly toward palace guards.
Swedish newspaper Expressen reported that the man approached the palace guards with a knife and asked to be shot — an account police did not immediately confirm.
Investigation under way
Police have launched a preliminary investigation into aggravated threats against a public official and a serious violation of the Knife Act. Because officers discharged their service weapons, the incident will also be examined by the Special Investigations Unit, which handles cases involving police use of firearms — standard practice in Sweden, Rinaldo said.
The man was not questioned overnight. Police said he was arrested on Wednesday morning and informed of the charges, with longer questioning to take place at a later date.
Sources: Sweden police say armed man shot outside royal palace (Arab News/AFP) | Police shoot knife-wielding man at Stockholm's Royal Palace (Sweden Herald) | Man shot by police outside Stockholm's Royal Palace arrested on weapons charges (Sweden Herald)
Evening confrontation
The alarm came in at around 6:30 p.m. near Lejonbacken, close to the palace entrance, prompting a large police operation that Swedish media said involved about 20 police cars, with ambulances also called to the scene. Officers responding to the reports opened fire on the man, and he was taken to hospital by ambulance.
"The man was hit and taken to hospital," Stockholm police spokeswoman Susanna Rinaldo told AFP, adding that his injuries were considered serious but not life-threatening. She declined to specify the type of weapon involved while the operation was ongoing, but later updates from police and the Royal Court confirmed the man had been carrying a knife and had acted threateningly toward palace guards.
Swedish newspaper Expressen reported that the man approached the palace guards with a knife and asked to be shot — an account police did not immediately confirm.
Investigation under way
Police have launched a preliminary investigation into aggravated threats against a public official and a serious violation of the Knife Act. Because officers discharged their service weapons, the incident will also be examined by the Special Investigations Unit, which handles cases involving police use of firearms — standard practice in Sweden, Rinaldo said.
The man was not questioned overnight. Police said he was arrested on Wednesday morning and informed of the charges, with longer questioning to take place at a later date.
Sources: Sweden police say armed man shot outside royal palace (Arab News/AFP) | Police shoot knife-wielding man at Stockholm's Royal Palace (Sweden Herald) | Man shot by police outside Stockholm's Royal Palace arrested on weapons charges (Sweden Herald)
