Calle Persson of Skåne police said: “There has been a situation in which police had to shoot an attacker armed with a knife.”

“There were several shots, but I do not know if there is one or multiple squads who fired the shots.”

However, another witness contradicted the original witness and told the Sydsvenskan regional newspaper that the man had run away from the police before being shot.

“The police shouted, ‘Drop the knife, drop the knife.’ He did not listen, but tried to run away, and then they shot at him.”

The man was taken to Skåne University Hospital in Malmö, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit. 

His condition is critical.

The police did not comment on the witness information.

“There is nothing I can say because the incident is being investigated by prosecutors,” said Jimmy Modin, information officer at Skåne police.

Police said that the man is suspected of attempted murder.

Officers cordoned off parts of Gustav Adolf Square, where the incident occurred.

This is the second such incident in the last ten days.

A knife-wielding man was shot by police officers in Stockholm’s Sergel Square last weekend after he attacked officers.