Early Friday a gunman killed a man, and in the ensuing confrontation with police, nine others were wounded.
[Update] Mayor Bloomberg Updates New Yorkers on Shooting at Empire State Building with Police Commissioner Kelly, press conference, video below:
ABC7 has a helicopter in the air soon afterward, video below:
Via NYP:
A fired worker stalked his boss down a Midtown street, shot him dead and then turned his weapon on police officers — and in the ensuing gun battle he was killed and nine pedestrains were struck, some by cop bullets, Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said today.
The 9 a.m. mayhem sent commuters and tourists in a panicked scramble from the jam-packed intersection of 34th Street and Fifth Avenue.
Bloomberg identified the shooter as Jeffrey Johnson, 53, who had been fired a year ago from Hazan Imports at 10 W. 33rd Street, around the corner from the scene.
He returned there yesterday with a .45 caliber handgun and stalked his victim, a former co-worker.
After fatally shooting his 41-year-old victim in the head, he walked down 33rd Street with the gun concealed and was confronted by a pair of construction workers who gave chase, said Kelly.
At that point, cops on anti-terror patrol drew their weapons on Johnson and he opened fire.
“The guy has his gun out and is trying to shoot police officers,” Bloomberg said.
More from AP, here and here, CBS News New York and CBS News, via Memeorandum