Gunman takes hostages in NY state

Fanny Cradock

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7982313.stm

Thought people might be interested in this. Looks like there may have been 13 killed already with up to 40 still held hostage.

Up to 40 people have been taken hostage and several others shot in the US state of New York, say reports.

Local media reported that the people were in the buildings of the American Civic Association (ACA) in the Binghamton, north of New York City.

Mayor Matthew Ryan told reporters the man had a high-powered rifle and was still believed to be in the building.

Unconfirmed local media reports said up to 13 people may have been killed in the incident.

Television footage showed four people being carried from the scene on stretchers. Their condition was not known.

The Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin said homes nearby were being evacuated and a police commando unit was at the scene.


RECENT US SHOOTINGS
March 2009: A gunman kills a total of 11 people in a series of shootings southern Alabama
Dec 2008: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus kills nine people and himself on Christmas Eve in LA
Sept 2008: Six people die in a series of shootings in the north-west of Washington state
June 2008: A worker at a plastics plant in Kentucky kills five people before killing himself
Apr 2007: 32 people and the gunman die at the Virginia Tech campus

It said apartments and a nearby school and care home were under lockdown and some streets had been sealed off.

Eyewitness reported seeing a man of Asian appearance in his 20s entering the building.

A spokeswoman at a local hospital said at least one person was being treated for unspecified injuries.

"We're on full alert anticipating we're going to get additional casualties," Linda Miller said.

Reports said people had been hiding in the basement of the building and inside a storage room.

The ACA says on its website that it assists immigrants and refugees with personal and immigration counselling.

redout

Aye, some lunatic said to be a young asian male in 20's with a high powered weapon. Supposedly held up in the boiler room with about 20 hostages.

redout

Fox news is hilarious. I had to switch over to sky to actually get a proper idea of what was happening.

SoWatchaWant

:(It disgusts me how little consideration wackos like this guy give to how much hurt and pain they bring upon innocents, and their friends and families. One man has the arrogance to take 13 lives and severly shake many more than that. One nutjob with a gun causes so much pain.

This is why I would forgo the pleasure of shooting a gun. Sure it would be cool, but I'm not willing to claim it as my God given right- this I would gladly forfeit in the hope that no mental case would ever touch one again.

I'm also disgusted that gun toters in America insist on owning their own firearm, when this kind of **** happens.

live2thewire

redout wrote: »

Fox news is hilarious. I had to switch over to sky to actually get a proper idea of what was happening.

wow fox must be bad if you were forced into that move.

Anyway just another example of american lunatic

Vain

Crazy. At least 12 casualties, four people dead and has 40 hostages.

Hazys

redout wrote: »

Fox news is hilarious. I had to switch over to sky to actually get a proper idea of what was happening.

Arent Fox and Sky the same?

redout

Hazys wrote: »

Arent Fox and Sky the same?

Both owned by Murdoch but well just watch them and see the difference !

Sharpshooter

And no doubt he will eventually turn the weapon on himself.
That's what feckin annoys me.
Why not do that in the first place.
He's using a high powered rifle and it's
employees of the center and immigrants according to Sky news that were brought to hospital.
20 people got out and he is holding another 20 inside the center.

stevenmu

SoWatchaWant wrote: »

I'm also disgusted that gun toters in America insist on owning their own firearm, when this kind of **** happens.

Well if someone else in the center had a gun as well there's a very good chance this lunatic would have been stopped long ago. I bet every single one of those hostages wishes they were armed right now.

Fanny Cradock

stevenmu wrote: »

Well if someone else in the center had a gun as well there's a very good chance this lunatic would have been stopped long ago. I bet every single one of those hostages wishes they were armed right now.

So you answer to lunatic gunmen is to make guns easier to access? I see...

Poccington

SoWatchaWant wrote: »

I'm also disgusted that gun toters in America insist on owning their own firearm, when this kind of **** happens.

The fact that this kind of **** happens, is the very reason many people own guns.

Highsider

stevenmu wrote: »

Well if someone else in the center had a gun as well there's a very good chance this lunatic would have been stopped long ago. I bet every single one of those hostages wishes they were armed right now.

Mr Heston...is that you?

Vain

13 dead now. Two people lead out of building in hand cuffs.

Dave!

Ahh now, this always turns into a gun debate... Let's just keep it to the events of today, shall we?

Any more developments?

stevenmu

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

So you answer to lunatic gunmen is to make guns easier to access? I see...

Yes. All gun control does is keep guns out of the hands of decent law abiding people. As we've seen here in Ireland all too often, it doesn't prevent criminals shooting innocent people.

Fanny Cradock

Dave! wrote: »

Ahh now, this always turns into a gun debate... Let's just keep it to the events of today, shall we?

Any more developments?

I'll hold my fire.

stevenmu

+1

dsmythy

It's a centre for immigrants and refugees. They get counselling and what not there.

Bottle_of_Smoke

could someone paste the bbc article up. Something wrong with my internet and boards.ie is the only site working (i know????)

Agamemnon

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

could someone paste the bbc article up. Something wrong with my internet and boards.ie is the only site working (i know????)

Here ya go:

About 40 people have been taken hostage and several others shot in the US state of New York, say reports.

Unconfirmed local media reports said a number of people have been killed during the incident.

Several people were in the buildings of the American Civic Association (ACA) in Binghamton, north of New York City, when the attacker or attackers entered.

Many have now left the building and the police are reported to have taken away two people in handcuffs.

It is not clear whether they were attackers.

New York Governor David Paterson confirmed there had been fatalities but did not say how many. He said it was a "tragic day for New York".

Mr Paterson said the situation was still developing and details were being gathered.

"We are monitoring the situation and I have directed the State Police to assist the Binghamton Police Department in any way they can," he told reporters.

An unnamed law enforcement official told the Associated Press that the FBI had sent negotiators to the scene.

At least four people were seen being carried away from the building on stretchers. Their condition was not known.

A spokeswoman for Our Lady of Lourdes hospital told the BBC several people had been admitted with "serious" injuries.

Susan Linerode said the hospital was expecting to receive more casualties and staff had been told to stay at work.

Eyewitness reported seeing a man of Asian appearance in his 20s entering the ACA building in mid-morning local time.

He was described by local media as being 1.6m to 1.8m (5ft 8in to 6ft) and wearing a bright green nylon jacket and dark-rimmed glasses.

The town's Mayor Matthew Ryan told reporters the gunman was carrying a high-powered rifle.

There were reports that several dozen people had been hiding in the building and witnesses said they later saw groups of people leaving.

The Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin said homes nearby had been evacuated and a police commando unit was at the scene.

It said apartments and a nearby school and care home were under lockdown and some streets had been sealed off.

Bob Joseph of WNBF Radio told the BBC the town had never experienced an incident on such a scale before.

The ACA says on its website that it assists immigrants and refugees with personal and immigration counselling.

redout

The latest......

Gunman Kills At Least 13 In Hostage Attack

A gunman armed with a high-powered rifle has killed at least 13 people and injured up to 26 others in Binghamton, New York state.

New York Governor David Paterson has confirmed that 12 or 13 people have been killed after the gunman, described as an Asian male, opened fire at an immigration services centre.

Reports describe the man as a "lone gunman" and say he killed himself in the attack.

The gunman, believed to be in his 20s, raided the American Civic Centre building at 10.30am local time (3.30pm BST).

He is understood to have parked his car blocking the doors to the centre before opening fire.

Earlier reports said two Asian males were taken from the scene with their hands bound, but this is now thought to have been due to caution from police.

Christina Boyd, a spokeswoman for the Wilson Medical Centre in Johnson City, said the hospital was treating five people with gunshot wounds.

The wounded ranged in age from 20 to their mid-50s, and their conditions ranged from stable to critical, she said.

Linda Miller, a spokeswoman at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, said a student from Binghamton University was being treated, but added she did not know the nature of the injuries.

"We're on full alert anticipating we're going to get additional casualties," she said.

New York Governor David Paterson said it was a "tragic day for New York".

He said: "While the situation is still developing and details are being gathered, we do know that a gunman entered the American Civic Association in Binghamton this morning and that there are fatalities.

"We are monitoring the situation and I have directed the State Police to assist the Binghamton Police Department in any way they can. I speak for all of New York when I offer my prayers for the victims and families of this tragedy."

A police spokesman said anonymously the gunman used his car to barricade the rear door of the building and then entered through the front.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Gunman-Kills-Up-To-13-Takes-40-Hostage-In-Binghamton-New-York/Article/200904115255369?f=vg

steo87

redout wrote: »

Fox news is hilarious. I had to switch over to sky to actually get a proper idea of what was happening.

Fox News is Sky News....all part of Murdoch's empire

Manic Moran

Sure it would be cool, but I'm not willing to claim it as my God given right- this I would gladly forfeit in the hope that no mental case would ever touch one again.

Well, if it weren't for the fact that I'm an aetheist, I'd claim it for you.
You have good sentiments, but unfortunately I don't think your actions or otherwise will really affect the actions of mental cases. We have yet to figure out the legal implications behind these acts, but bearing in mind that NY is a state with tougher gun laws than most, we have yet to determine the legality of the firearms ownership.

I'm interested by the media's definition of "High-Powered Rifle" though. That implies something akin to a .50 cal or maybe a WWII-era calibre, neither of which are particularly suitable for this sort of thing (Then again, the media could just be talking out its ass about guns again.)

Interested to note the apparent capture of the gunman. Doesn't happen often in a mass shooting.

[Edit: CNN now saying the gunman topped himself. Oh well, back to business as usual]

NTM

Hagar

Gunman killing Yanks? Send more ammo...

Nodin

steo87 wrote: »

Fox News is Sky News....all part of Murdoch's empire

Fox however, is 'Fair and balanced'. So much so that were it to apply its policies to Sky News, it would be illegal under British standards......

smellslikeshoes

steo87 wrote: »

Fox News is Sky News....all part of Murdoch's empire

They are both owned by Murdoch and thats pretty much where the similarity ends.

Nodin

CBS/AP) A gunman opened fire on a center where immigrants were taking a citizenship exam Friday in downtown Binghamton, killing 13 people before committing suicide.

The suspected gunman was identified as 41-year-old Jiverly Wong of nearby Johnson City, N.Y., a law enforcement official said.

"It obviously was premeditated," said Binghamton Police Chief Joseph Zikuski, noting the gunman blocked the rear exit with his car. "He made sure nobody could escape."

The gunman calmly walked in the front door with two handguns: a 9 millimeter with extended clip and a .45 caliber, CBS News correspondent Bob Orr reports. Sources say he was carrying a satchel with extra ammo, a large knife, a flashlight and what appeared to be survival gear - a sign that he was prepared for a standoff.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/03/national/main4916721.shtml?tag=topStory;topStoryHeadline

Vietnamese guy, apparently (gone are the days the mass shooting was the white mans preserve...Gawd bless American diversity). Obviously the default for 'don't know what kind of fucking gun he has' is 'hi-powered rifle'.

Nodin

Next - what movie do we blame?

AnonoBoy

Sky News Link

Looks like the Taliban are claiming responsibility for it now.

Manic Moran

Nodin wrote: »

Obviously the default for 'don't know what kind of fucking gun he has' is 'hi-powered rifle'.

(Then again, the media could just be talking out its ass about guns again.)

I rest my case, m'lud.

NTM

Poccington

Nodin wrote: »

Next - what movie do we blame?

Just to mix it up a bit... I'm gonna go for As Good As It Gets.

Nodin

Manic Moran wrote: »

I rest my case, m'lud.

NTM

Indeed.

(You'd expect better from America though, for obvious reasons....)

Poccington wrote:

Just to mix it up a bit... I'm gonna go for As Good As It Gets.

The last Nichiolas Cage vehicle I sat through certainly me want to dual wield automatic weaponry..(bit of a job for a man with a claw for a paw, but sure i'll improvise).."Con Air"....**** of the worst order...

Agamemnon

I see the gunman was an ex-IBM employee. Working with the WebSphere family of servers would drive anyone to mass murder.

Local-womanizer

Agamemnon wrote: »

I see the gunman was an ex-IBM employee. Working with the WebSphere family of servers would drive anyone to mass murder.

He was also posting on that story aswell:rolleyes:There is some idiots in the world....I wonder how many of the victims are American?

vOoONG Says:
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:21 pm

Voong did us a favor by killing these immigrants who came to America to take OUR jobs during a recession when American’s need these jobs in order to survive in OUR homeland and birthplace. Hispanics, stay in Mexico and stitch Nike soccer balls. Filipino’s, stay in your country and harvest beans and banana’s. Koreans and Chinese, work in your rice patties. These last few sentences need not apply to those ethnicities that were born and raised in the United States. Stay the F0CK out of our country and get jobs in your own country. Those people NEVER would have died had they just STAYED in their own country and found the jobs that are provided to them over here. THANK YOU VOONG FOR LEAVING THIRTEEN JOB OPENINGS FOR US HARD WORKING AMERICANS

Rented Mule

SoWatchaWant wrote: »

I'm also disgusted that gun toters in America insist on owning their own firearm, when this kind of **** happens.

They would respiond with the statement that 'less people would have been harmed if they were able to carry a gun to protect themsleves'.

They would also go on to tell you that this person was not an 'American'.

I haven't looked at any of the reports on Fox News yet, but this is what I am expecting to read.

Rented Mule

Poccington wrote: »

Just to mix it up a bit... I'm gonna go for As Good As It Gets.

I am going to blame Mama Mia.

If you weren't out of your mind going into that film, you sure as hell would be coming out.

Manic Moran

Rented Mule wrote: »

They would respiond with the statement that 'less people would have been harmed if they were able to carry a gun to protect themsleves'.

They would also go on to tell you that this person was not an 'American'.

I haven't looked at any of the reports on Fox News yet, but this is what I am expecting to read.

As one of the resident American gun-toters, I agree fully with the first sentiment. Y'all can be victims if you like. I intend to give myself at least a fighting chance. (Literally)

I don't know this chap's immigration status/nationality, so cannot comment on his Americanicity.

NTM

Nodin

Manic Moran wrote: »

As one of the resident American gun-toters, I agree fully with the first sentiment. Y'all can be victims if you like. I intend to give myself at least a fighting chance. (Literally)

Damn right. "careful now" would be a far more arresting statement if delivered while pointing a 12 gauge with 6 in her.

Manic Moran

I'm sorry. Why have I just had a mental image of a priest wielding a shotgun, facing down a gunman and saying "Down with this sort of thing"?

NTM

Poccington

I'm with MM and Nodin on this one, I'd much rather have my own firearm if I ever ended up in a situation like that.

Also, all priests should be armed.

Nodin

Poccington wrote: »

Also, all priests should be armed.

To be honest, a lot of them can't even be trusted with their hands...