Armed Man shot outside Sweden's Royal Palace in Stockholm

Swedish police say they shot an armed man outside the Royal Palace in central Stockholm on Tuesday evening 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 initially 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.