Swedish police shoot armed man outside Stockholm’s Royal Palace

A policeman stands next to a police cordon and vehicle after police shot a man acting out armed with a knife, near the Royal Palace in central Stockholm, October 6, 2026. — AFP pic

First Published: Wednesday, 07 Oct 2026 11:50 AM MYT

STOCKHOLM, Oct 7 — Swedish police said yesterday 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 spokesman 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.

In a later update, police said it had launched an investigation into “aggravated threats against a public official” and an aggravated knife offence without providing further details. — AFP