A man who attacked officers with a knife at a police station in Barcelona has been gunned down.

The incident occurred just before 6am local time (5am BST) in the Cornella district on the outskirts of the city, police said.

Police said the man “intended to attack police officers”, though they did not say whether the man was killed.

Barcelona police
The man was shot down by officers (AP)

A short time after the incident, a body was taken out of the police station on a stretcher and placed in a mortuary van.

Police said an investigation was launched and a news conference would be held later in the morning.