Police cordoned off an area to investigate. Martin Finucane/Globe Staff

An 86-year-old woman suffered life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle in downtown Boston, police said.

Boston police spokesman Sergeant Detective John Boyle said the person was struck at the corner of Merchants Row and State Street around 9:03 a.m. Wednesday. The pedestrian was a woman, said Maisha Miraj, a Boston police spokeswoman.