Sweden police say armed man shot outside royal palace

Stockholm: Swedish police said Tuesday they shot an armed man outside the Royal Palace in central Stockholm after receiving reports of a disruptive individual carrying a weapon.

Police said officers responding to the incident opened fire on the man.

"The man was hit and taken to hospital," Stockholm police spokeswoman Susanna Rinaldo told AFP. 

She said his injuries were considered serious but not life-threatening.

Rinaldo declined to specify the type of weapon involved, adding that the police operation remained ongoing but that there was no danger to the public.

Swedish newspaper Expressen reported that the man approached palace guards armed with a knife and asked to be shot.