2 People, Including Gunman Killed, As Many As 8 People Shot Outside Of NY's Empire State Building
Two people, including the gunman, were killed, and as many as eight others were wounded in a shooting outside the Empire State Building, at 34th Street and Fifth Avenue, on Friday morning, according to the New York Times.
Authorities claimed the shooting in New York City was not related to terrorism. Multiple sources have reported the attack was motivated by a dispute between coworkers. The gunman had worked at a business in the Empire State Building, but was recently fired from his job and returned Friday to collect some money, when he ran into his former manager on the street and shot him, multiple news reports said.
The New York Police Department has confirmed that four people were shot and said the number could be as high as 10, according to a breaking report from NBC New York. The FBI was also on the scene.
A fire department spokesman said an emergency call came in around 9 a.m. ET about a shooting, and dispatchers immediately sent units to the scene, the Associated Press reported.
There has been no official word yet on the exact number of people wounded in the shooting, ABC-7 Eyewitness News reported; however, officials said the gunman was killed and a weapon was found near his body. Eyewitnesses on the ground claimed that they saw the shooter being put down by police, during the exchange.
An CBS-2 eyewitness described the scene as a near stampede after sounds of gunfire broke out.
I was sitting outside and I heard three shots first and I saw three people running up to Park Avenue away from the Empire State Building. Then we heard it again and it was like 10 to 15 shots at one time. Then we saw the whole block, like over 50 people running to Park Avenue.
A Reuters video of the street outside of the Empire State Building showed a chaotic scene; the streets have been cordoned off by police. Live video of the scene can be viewed at ABC News.
Eight of the wounded victims were taken to Bellevue and St. Luke's hospitals.
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