Austrian knife attacker shot dead outside ambassador's house

A knife attacker was shot dead outside the Iranian ambassador’s house in Vienna after he lunged at a guard, police said.

The 26-year-old Austrian man died on the street from gunshot wounds on Sunday night, reports CNN.

A police spokesman said the guard – an Austrian soldier – initially tried to stop the man with pepper spray.

But after he failed to repel him, the soldier shot the man at least four times with his handgun, said a police spokesman.

The soldier received none-life threatening injuries to his left arm and was taken to hospital.

It is not known if the Iranian ambassador was in residence during the attack.