An Iranian man who attacked three police officers with a knife near the German city of Nuremberg died after police shot him near a train station on Sunday.

The DPA quoted a police spokesman on Monday, stating that the 34-year-old died at the scene of the shooting in the southern town of Lauf an der Pegnitz, despite immediate first aid measures being initiated.

Details about the motive and the exact sequence of events are still unclear, and authorities said a thorough investigation would be conducted.

"We are still at the very beginning of the investigation," said Heike Klotzbücher of the public prosecutor's office in the nearby city of Nuremberg.

Klotzbücher said he could not immediately say where the man lived and whether he had been in trouble with the police. "We can’t say any more about what happened either," she added.

Initial police investigation suggests the man initially targeted a police patrol car and then attempted to attack the three officers with a knife when they exited their vehicle.

A female federal police officer shot the man. The shooting occurred at a bus stop outside a commuter rail station in the town.

A police spokesman stated that the officers were uninjured but did not provide details on how many shots were fired.

According to the police, the officers immediately administered first aid and were later joined by an emergency doctor. However, they were unable to save him.

Police assured that there was no danger to the public, though the train station remained out of service for some time following the shooting.