Police have shot and killed a man they say stabbed six people in a knife attack in Long Beach, California.

Sergeant Megan Zabel said officers were called to an area near a convalescent home on Friday night where they confronted a suspect and shot him dead.

Brian Fisk of the Long Beach Fire Department said five of the six people who were stabbed were taken to nearby hospitals and one person was treated and released at the scene. Ms Zabel said the condition of those taken to the hospitals range from critical to suffering superficial wounds.

She said it was unclear whether the convalescent home was involved.