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Empire State Building shootings kill 2 and wound 9, police say

August 24th, 2012 | Tags: shooting New York
NYPD names gunman; co-worker targeted. Photo: CNN
By David Ariosto, CNN

New York (CNN) -- A shooting and gunbattle left two people dead and at least nine others wounded in front of the Empire State Building Friday, authorities said.

The shooter, identified as Jeffrey Johnson, 58, was one of two killed in an exchange of gunfire with two police officers.

 

The officers fired 14 rounds during the incident after Johnson turned his gun on them, according to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.

 

Some of the wounded people may have been hit in the crossfire or by ricocheting bullets, he said.

 

 

Johnson was apparently laid off from his job as a designer of women's accessories at Hazan Imports last year, police said. He a fatally shot a 41-year-old man, they said.

 

Clad in a business suit and carrying a briefcase, the gunman apparently had a longstanding dispute with the victim over allegations of harassment in the work place, police said.

 

Both men had filed prior complaints, police said.

 

A construction worker followed the gunman after the initial gunshots and alerted officers.

 

Two police officers were being treated at a Manhattan hospital, though no injuries are considered life-threatening, said Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

 

Johnson used a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun and was carrying extra ammunition in his briefcase during the attack, police said.

 

The former Manhattan resident doesn't appear to have had a criminal record, but authorities are still checking, Bloomberg added.

 

Witnesses said police shot the man at least three times.

 

"It's just a crazy scene here," said Rebecca Fox, who works across the street from the famous New York skyscraper. She said she had been getting coffee and had her headphones on when she saw people running.

 

Fox said she saw a woman who had been shot near a brewery, as well as blood splattered on the sidewalk.

 

One witness -- 22-year-old Max Kaplan -- said he heard at least nine shots and saw ambulances race to the scene.

 

"We're all very shaken up at the office," he said.

 

Aaron Herman, a CNN iReporter, painted a portrait of confusion.

 

"It was a little chaotic. Police had barricaded the area and I saw one woman who was a victim, I think she had been grazed," he said. "Some said they heard around three 'pops' and ran into nearby local stores to be safe."

 

The White House said top aides told President Barack Obama about the shooting around 9:30 a.m. The shooting does not appear to be linked to terrorism, authorities said.

 

Local and federal authorities who converged on the building around 9 a.m. closed several streets around Fifth Avenue and 34th Street, snarling traffic in the heart of Manhattan.

 

Shortly after the incident, Manhattan's Bellevue Hospital Center reported that it was treating six victims suffering from gunshot wounds. None of the injuries were considered life-threatening. Three others were taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

 

The Empire State Building is one of the most famous skyscrapers in the world and one of New York City's best-known tourist attractions.

 

Each year, about 4 million people visit the building's two observation decks. At more than 1,453 feet tall, the landmark building reaches more than a quarter-mile into the sky.

 

The area also typically maintains a large security presence.

 

"There's always a focus and concentration on the building," said retired police officer Lou Palumbo. "That building gets special attention."

 

The Empire State Building Company said in a statement Friday that "the building is fully operational at this time," and that police are investigating the incident.

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