A gunman who opened fire at a Christmas choir performance outside a cathedral in New York has died after a shootout with police.
The shooting happened just before 4pm local time at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of New York and seat of its bishop.
The gunman was shot and wounded by police after the incident on the steps of the landmark Manhattan cathedral, according to police and a Reuters photographer at the scene.
The suspect was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.
It has since been confirmed by the police commissioner that the gunman has died after a shootout with police.
New York City Police Department spokesman Sergeant Edward Riley said the gunman had fired on police but no officers were injured.
Mark Levine, NYC Council member, tweeted that a person climbed the scaffolding inside the church during a Christmas service before he began "shooting a gun indiscriminately in the air".
Photographs and video footage from the scene show several police cars and a cordon around the area.
No bystanders are believed to have been injured.
A witness said the police arrived at the scene very quickly and claimed there was also a helicopter flying above.
About a dozen bystanders were present at the time of the gunfire, which erupted 15 or 20 minutes after a crowd of more than 200 people had gathered for the concert, according to Reuters.
Police said officers recovered two firearms from the scene after the shooting.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter that "quick action of our NYPD officers kept the crowd safe."
