Armed man arrested for stabbing woman in Central Sydney

An armed man has been arrested in central Sydney after stabbing a woman and being detained on the street by members of the public, authorities say.

Police said the man attempted to carry out further stabbings and there were "multiple crime scenes".

“We have a female person with a stab wound to the back currently being treated by paramedics and is en route to a Sydney hospital,” Police Superintendent Gavin Wood told reporters in Sydney.

He said the woman’s injuries were not life-threatening.

Wood also said the attack appeared to be unprovoked but police were keeping an open mind.

Video footage circulated on social media showed the suspect shouting "Allahu Akbar" and "shoot me".

He jumps on a car wielding a knife as another man confronts him with a wicker chair.

The incident took place at about 14:00 local time (04:00 GMT) on Tuesday near Clarence St and King St, a busy area in the city centre.

The injured woman was taken to hospital in a stable condition. Police said there was no ongoing threat.

They said they were investigating whether the body found in the apartment was linked to the incident.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison tweeted that the "violent attack" was "deeply concerning".

Authorities urged people to avoid the area. Police said they would release more information as it became available.