Apr 03 2009
Breaking News – Gunman opens Fire in American Civic Association, Binghamton New York State
Breaking News – Gunman opens Fire in American Civic Association,
Binghamton New York State
Photo: Wbng
At 10.30 this morning a man in his 20’s and of Asian appearance stormed the American Civic Association, Binghamton, New York State, and opened fire indiscriminately with a high powered rifle.
He at first blocked the back door of the building with his car, then stormed the front of the Association, firing at random.
The American Civic Association deals with helping immigrant people and refugees gain citizenship and help with the English Language and to settle into the culture of the Country.
There are 26 known casualties who have been taken to hospital and 13 dead at the last report.
Swat teams, Hostage negotiators and a bomb squad have been drafted in, in readiness for the ongoing situation.
A Vietnamese translator was also brought in to assist the FBI with the hostage situation.
The man was around 6 ft tall, wearing a bright green jacket, dark glasses and carrying a high powered rifle.
At the time of the shooting, citizenship classes were taking place and at least 20 people are known to be hiding in cupboards and in the boiler room in the basement of the building.
The gunman has taken hostage of the people inside. Some have been released, coming out of the building with their hands on their heads, and it is thought that about 20 still remain inside.
Streets have been locked down and Binghamton High school are keeping the children locked inside the building until the situation is made safe.
Reports are coming in now that the gunman has been found dead inside the building. The Vietnamese/American man who lived in Johnson City with his father and sister, turned the gun on himself.
2 handguns have been recovered from inside the building and it appears to have been a premeditated attack.
It is thought that the gunman had recently lost his job. He apparently felt undermined and thought that people were mocking him.
40 extra medical staff have been draughted into local hospitals to help out in the main trauma rooms with the casualties.
The scene inside the building is described as “very, very bad”. The New York Governor has said: “This is a tragic day for New York”.
Police are now searching the building, room by room and discovered on entering, a receptionist who had been shot through the head.
Binghamton, A University town, has the lowest rate of crime in the U.S.A. -
