Police have shot and wounded a man who was "acting erratically" at Miami International Airport, with media reports saying he had a knife.

"Officers from the Incident Containment Team immediately responded to the area," the Miami-Dad Police Department said in a statement late Thursday.

"The subject then ran through the restricted area and made his way to the tarmac. A confrontation ensued between the officer and the subject and the officer discharged his firearm."

The man was taken to a nearby trauma centre for treatment, but his condition was "stable," according to the police. The officer was unharmed.

The Miami Herald reported that the man had been carrying a knife. The newspaper reported that the incident occurred between 8:30 and 9 pm on Thursday (0030-0100 GMT Friday).

No flights were delayed by the incident, the report said.