Officials announced that a masked gunman threw a smoke bomb and then fired shots into a subway car in New York, injuring 16 people and provoking chaos.

While posting a photo of the suspect in the shooting, the NYPD said in a tweet that the suspect was named Frank James, and asked anyone with information to report him to the police as soon as possible.

Chant Sewell, commander of the New York City police force, said 10 people were shot, without saying how the others' injuries occurred.

Sewell added that the gunman was still at large, and that the incident was still not being investigated as an act of terrorism, but did not exclude anything as a motive for the attack.

Video footage showed smoke rising from the train car as it entered the 36th Street station in the Sun St Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. The carriage passengers trapped inside scrambled to the sidewalk as its doors opened, some falling to the ground, and photos showed blood stains on the sidewalk.

"This morning, as a train to Manhattan waited to enter Station 36, a person on board that train wore what appeared to be a gas mask, then pulled out a package from his bag and opened it," Sewell said at a news conference.

She added: "At this moment the train started filling with smoke. The gunman then fired shots at several people in the subway and on the pavement. "

The police chief continued that the suspect was reported to be a full-skinned black male, wearing a green jacket of the type used in construction work.

Outside the street station 36 in an area renowned for landmarks such as the Chinese city and the Statue of Liberty, the authorities closed 10 or so residential compounds and the surrounding area was closed with yellow tapes.

The White House and Justice Department announced that President Joe Biden and Justice Secretary Merrick Garland had been updated on the incident. The White House said presidential staff were in close contact with New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the police commissioner to provide any assistance.