Police have shot a man outside Penn Station, in Manhattan, during rush hour after he attacked an off-duty policeman with a cleaver.

The New York Post reported the shooting happened around 5pm at the station near Madison Square Garden, where the suspect reportedly attacked the officer.

Police responded by opening fire, shooting the man 18 times.

Akram Joudeh, 32, tried to remove a parking boot from a car not far from Penn Station, then fled from officers on foot after pulling a 28cm meat cleaver from his waistband, police said.

We checked out the scene of the meat cleaver attack on a police officer in Midtown on W. 32nd near Herald Sq pic.twitter.com/ITMRinnrta

— Ken Duffy (@kenduffywbal) September 15, 2016

After the initial attempt to taser the suspect failed, the off-duty policeman in civilian clothing tried to subdue him.

The off-duty officer sustained a 15cm gash from his temple to his jaw and was taken to Bellevue Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Four other policemen were also reportedly taken to hospital to be evaluated for trauma.

The suspect, described by sources as an “emotionally disturbed person,” was also taken to hospital in a critical but stable condition, New York department chief James O’Neill said.

NBC reported Joudeh, from Queens, has had 15 prior arrests, including one on August 27 after he was found carrying knives near a synagogue.

8-9 Shots fired and 3 people taken away in ambulances; 1 is allegedly a police officer West 32nd Street NYC pic.twitter.com/dOBw1WMwBw

— Chris Okada (@ChrisOkada) September 15, 2016

When asked if it was necessary to fire 18 shots in the busy Manhattan street, Mr O’Neill responded: “Keep in mind that he had just attacked an off-duty officer, who has a 6-inch (15cm) gash on his face, and he has an 11-inch (28cm) cleaver”.