Witnesses have described chaotic scenes in Lower Manhattan as a truck reportedly drove the wrong way down a bicycle route and crashing into another vehicle, killing at least six people.

Onlookers said they could see “tyre marks” on victims as the truck driver ran multiple people over, and they saw bodies covered with blankets.

New York Police Department said the suspect crashed into another vehicle after heading down the bicycle path, adding there were “several fatalities and numerous people injured”.

Exact numbers are not yet known.

Police said the suspect exited the vehicle with imitation firearms and was shot by police. The suspect is in custody.

One witness called Matteo said he saw a “car crash”.

“I ran up the bridge and saw this dude with two guns. For some reason he was running around, he was getting chased. All of a sudden there were four shots, and we started running.”

Police attend incident in New York after reports of shooting and van hitting pedestrians

He said he saw two bodies lying on the ground, and that he and a group of around 40 school children ran away.

Another person who saw the carnage was Tawhid Kabir. He told the New York Post: “I saw the gun running in a circle and I realised it was serious.”

“We thought the guns were fake and it was a Halloween prank,” added student Laith Bahlouli, 14. “There was a car crash, and then he started to shoot.”

Another witness told CNN the driver was “screaming in the street, he looked frustrated, panicked and confused.”

“A whole bunch of people came running past my way yelling, ‘He’s got a gun!'"

Bill de Blasio, the Mayor of New York, confirmed there was no longer an active threat.