Gunman Shoots Multiple People Near Empire State Building

Update 09:51am 08/24/2012: Gunman Identified

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City officials say a laid-off women’s accessories designer shot and killed co-worker outside the Empire State Building, then got in a shootout with police.

Fifty-three-year-old Jeffrey Johnson opened fire with a .45-caliber pistol at about 9 a.m. Friday on the Fifth Avenue side of the building. He was shot dead by police.

Nine others were hit by gunfire. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that some of the victims may have been hit by police bullets. The victims are expected to survive.

Johnson was laid off about a year ago from a company housed in the Empire State Building.

Update From Associated Press 9:34AM – 08/24/2012

Mayor: Some victims in Empire State Building shooting may have been hit by police bullets

Updated Information From the Associate Press 9:21 am 08/24/2012

NEW YORK (AP) — Two law enforcement officials in New York City say a recently fired store worker shot a former colleague to death and then randomly opened fired on others near the Empire State Building.

The officials say eight other people were struck by bullets but those injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

The officials say the gunman previously worked at a store inside the landmark skyscraper. The shooting happened at about 9 a.m. Friday at 34th Street and Fifth Avenue.

The law enforcement officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.

Federal officials say the shooting isn’t related to terrorism, and a guard at the landmark said it didn’t involve the parts of the building where tourists gather to visit the skyscraper.

Although details are sketchy at the moment, several news outlets are reporting that a gunman has shot multiple people near the Empire State Building in Manhattan this morning.
The incident reportedly took place at Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street around 9 a.m. Anywhere from three to 10 people may have been hit by gunfire and some may have died.

Police allegedly shot and killed the gunman near the entrance to the New York City landmark. Eyewitnesses say the suspect was using either a rifle or shotgun and was “shooting indiscriminately at people.”

No official statement has been made yet on the number of fatalities at the scene, and traffic is currently being diverted as police investigate.

There’s also no word on what could have motivated the gunman, although it’s possible that an argument between co-workers could have caused the shooting. Stay tuned for further details.

[New Jersey 101.5]