New York: A man armed with a meat cleaver has attacked a police officer in New York City before being shot during a struggle with officers who were trying to subdue him.

The gunshots rang out about a block from Macy's midtown Manhattan flagship department store just as rush hour was getting underway on Thursday evening.

Police say the wounded man has been hospitalised in critical condition while an off-duty police detective has been hospitalised for a slash wound to the face.

A law enforcement official has told The Associated Press the officers had chased the man, who was armed with a meat cleaver, and had unsuccessfully tried to subdue him with a Taser before the struggle that led to the shooting.

The official wasn't authorised to release the information and spoke on the condition of anonymity. 

AP