Officials in the US and Saudi Arabia confirmed the incident on Wednesday as investigations continue into the attack.
“A person in a car stopped near the American consulate building in Jeddah Governorate and got out of it carrying a firearm in his hand,” a spokesperson for the Mecca Region police said, Aljazeera reported.
“So security authorities took the initiative to deal with him as required and the exchange of fire resulted in his death.”
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA), a state news outlet, reported the death of the security guard, who was part of the consulate’s private security.
No US citizens were injured in the gunfire, the US State Department said afterward.
But, it added, “the US Embassy and Consulate remain in contact with Saudi authorities as they investigate the incident”.
MP/PR