Several people have been injured in central Vienna amid exchanges of gunfire, police said on Twitter on Monday, with local media reporting that a synagogue had been attacked.

"Shots fired in the Inner City district — there are persons injured — KEEP AWAY from all public places or public transport," police tweeted.

A police officer was shot and seriously injured and one person was arrested, news agency APA said, citing the Interior Ministry.

The editor of newspaper Falter said one person had been killed, also citing the Interior Ministry, which was not immediately available for comment.

A police spokesperson said a large police deployment was underway in central Vienna.

Newspaper Kronen Zeitung reported that a synagogue had been attacked. It and other media reported shots fired in the area of nearby square Schwedenplatz.

Jewish community leader Oskar Deutsch said on Twitter that it was not clear whether the Vienna synagogue and adjoining offices had been the target of an attack, and said they were closed at the time.

More to come