Axe-wielding man attacks New York police – video

A man was shot dead after attacking New York City police with an axe on a crowded street yesterday afternoon.

The man pulled an axe out of his bag and ran at four police officers who had stopped to pose for a photograph. He struck one in the right arm and then swung again hitting another officer in the head.

The two uninjured police shot at the suspect, who reportedly dropped his axe and died at the scene.

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The officer who had been struck in the head was rushed to hospital with serious injuries. He is now said to be in a critical but stable condition.

The officer who was hit in the arm is expected to be discharged from hospital soon.

A 29-year-old female bystander was hit by a stray police bullet and critically injured. The woman underwent surgery and was recovering at the hospital, The Independent reports.

New York police say that at this stage there is no known motive for the attack. When asked whether the incident may have been motivated by terrorism, police commissioner William Bratton said: "This is early on, we really cannot say yes or no to that question."

Bratton identified the suspect as Zale Thompson. According to CNN, he had a criminal record in California and had been discharged from the Navy for misconduct.

The New York Police Department put its officers on alert following Thursday's attack, encouraging them to "maintain a heightened level of awareness against random attacks".