The man, identified as a Turkish national who was also carrying a bag, tried to approach the embassy and was shot after he refused officials’ demands to stop, the office of the governor of Turkey’s capital city said in a statement. He appears to suffer from mental illness and isn’t known to have links to any organization, it said.
“It’s not clear if he intended to attack police or the embassy,” Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said. The man drew a knife from his bag and was shot after he ignored orders to stop and drop it, he said.
Embassy staff took shelter inside the building, Turkey’s NTV television reported. Turkish police guard a perimeter at least 20 meters (65 feet) from the embassy, reports Bloomberg.
German and U.K. embassies in Ankara were shut last week over an unspecified security threat.