Sound of gunfire heard in popular tourist spot
Man charged at cops and threw one into side of car
Injured: This pedestrian was apparently shot in the leg during an incident near Times Square
Witnesses said police were responding to reports of a 35-year-old man acting strangely at 42nd Port Authority, when two women were caught in the cross fire.
The women were taken to hospital after being shot in the leg and buttock, in an incident between 42nd Street and 8th Avenue.
One of the women, who was using a walker, appeared to have been shot in the knee. She was pictured laying on the sidewalk, with blood seeping through her jeans.
CBS 2 reported that a second woman was also grazed by a bullet just after 9.30pm.
Early reports appeared to indicate that police had been called to reports of an 'agitated' man who was walking in the traffic and 'flailing his arms around'.
Witnesses said they opened fire when the man took a Metro card out his pocket and pretended it was a gun.
Police are then said to have fired three to four rounds, two of which hit passers by. The man they were originally trying to reach has been taken into custody.
As pictures from witnesses emerged, it appears that as police approached the towering man, he ran at them, throwing one of the cops into the side of a car.
A 35-year-old woman was later shot in the right leg and a bullet grazed the buttocks of a 54-year-old woman, according to the Daily News.
Sealed off: Police close streets near 42nd Street after the shooting
Kerri Ann Nesbeth, who claims to have witnessed the shooting, said she was standing just feet away from one of the victims.
She said on Twitter the shooting appeared to have happened after a man who had been hit by a taxi apparently tried to leave the scene.
Ms Nesbeth claimed police fired four shots at the man, one of which hit a passer by.
Parts of the street were sealed with police tape as emergency responders arrived at the scene at about 9.50pm on Saturday.
The usually busy area was blocked off for several blocks as police investigated what led to the shooting.
Passers by who had been enjoying a night out in the city took to Twitter to report hearing gun shots near the New York Times offices, and to describe scenes of chaos in the aftermath.
Gunfire: Police talk to potential witnesses after the incident
One person, Kelly McDonald, tweeted: 'Just heard gunshots and now chaos on 8th and 42nd (basically Times Sq) and watching literal madness from my window.'
Another, Michael Skolnik, tweeted: 'Just walked out of amazing evening of conversation about gun violence. And when we got on street saw shooting in Times Sq. Never stops.'
The New York Police Department have not yet confirmed the shooting or any details leading up to it.
shots in the air.