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Attacker wounded near Israeli Embassy, official says

Posted at 6:27 AM, Sep 21, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-21 07:06:18-04

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — An attacker apparently armed with a knife tried to enter the Israeli Embassy in Turkey on Wednesday before being shot and slightly wounded by Turkish security officials, an Israeli official and Turkish media said.

Emmanuel Nahshon told The Associated Press that all Israeli Embassy staff were safe and the attacker was captured.

"The attacker was wounded before he reached the embassy," Nashon said in a statement in Jerusalem.

He said the incident took place in the "outer perimeter" of the embassy.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency identified the suspect as a 38-year-old Turkish citizen, Osman C. It said he brandished a knife that he had wrapped inside a newspaper, started to shout and ignored warnings by police guarding the embassy to stop and drop his knife. He was then shot in the leg.

Police blocked roads leading to the heavily protected embassy building. Turkish media reports said staff at the embassy were moved to a shelter.

Turkey's private NTV television and other media reports said the man walked past the embassy building several times, raising suspicion, before trying to enter the building.