Three elderly victims were wounded at the transit hub, and the alleged attacker is in critical condition, police said.

A man wielding a machete was shot by police in New York City’s Grand Central station, after allegedly wounding three elderly individuals, according to the local police department.

Police responded to a call about a man with a knife at the iconic transit hub at 9:40am United States Eastern time (13:40 GMT) on Saturday.

One police officer opened fire, striking the man, who was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

Three individuals — an 84-year-old man, a 70-year-old woman and a 65-year-old man — were wounded before police arrived at the scene, according to a New York Police Department (NYPD) spokesperson.

All three victims were hospitalised in stable condition. Further details of the incident were not immediately available.

Grand Central station is one of the most iconic transit hubs in the United States.

Located in Midtown, Manhattan, it is a nexus of several New York City subway lines, as well as the regional Metro-North Railroad system.

Known for its Beaux-Arts architecture, the terminal is also one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, with an average of 750,000 travellers and visitors a day.