Jeffrey Johnson Empire State Building Shooter: Mayor Michael Bloomberg Press Conference Updates

Impact
By Elena Sheppard

Jeffrey Johnson is the Empire State Building shooter.

The shooter was a 58-years-old. He gunned down his ex-boss and wounded seven bystanders on the crowded sidewalks outside the Empire State Building in a Friday morning shooting spree, New York City police and witnesses said.  Johnson apparently used a semi-automatic, 50 caliber weapon.

Johnson was fired on Thursday from Hazan Imports, where he was an employee for six years. He wore a business suit and carried a briefcase when he shot and killed his victim near the 33rd street entrance to the iconic Midtown New York building. The Empire State Building is home to a number of Midtown businesses.

Reports indicate that eight people were shot and one killed; witnesses on the ground were under the impression that two people were killed. ABC News was reporting that the gunfire erupted over a workplace dispute. 

The shooting occurred during the hectic morning rush hour, shortly after 9 a.m., when throngs of people shuffle to their Midtown offices. The shooter was killed by police. 

Witnesses say the gunman was firing indiscriminately. A witness, Aliyah Imam, told FOX News she was standing at a red light when the woman next to her fell to the ground after being shot in the hip. Friday morning's shooting comes on the heels of numerous public shooting in the United States this summer including the Aurora shooting and the Wisconsin shooting at a Sikh Temple. 

Though this shooting may pale in comparison in terms of the amount of victims, the event comes in the heart of America’s busiest business — and media — center. Media outlets like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, the Associated Press, and PolicyMic all call Midtown home. Because major media outlets are located near the shooting, expect coverage to be disproportionately saturated.

PolicyMic will be closely tracking the news and providing updates. For real-time updates, bookmark and refresh this page.

UPDATES LIVE: 

Aug. 24, 2:58pm: Analysis on the state of gun laws in the U.S. What is the point of debating them if politicians never even listen? 

Aug. 24, 2:57pm: Jeffrey Johnson will become the new face of the American gun control debate. Read full coverage on Johnson here. 

Aug. 24, 12:14pm: Friday's shooting recalls a shooting in 1997 at the Empire State Building when a gunman opened fire on the 86th floor observation deck. The 1997 shooting resulted in the killing of one tourist and injuries to six others. The shoot then fatally shot himself. 

Aug. 24, 12:02pm: GRAPHIC PHOTO

Aug. 24, 11:56am: More live photographs from the scene:

 

 

Aug. 24, 11:39am: Live photographs from the scene taken by PolicyMic reporters:

Aug. 24, 11:37am: The shooting took place two blocks from PolicyMic offices. A reporter is on the seen and more photogaphs will be coming through throughout the day.

Aug. 24, 11:34am: Mayor Bloomberg: "There's an awful lot of guns out there." 

Aug. 24, 11:31am: According to the mayor, everyone else who was shot is expected to survive.

Aug. 24, 11:31am: Mayor Bloomberg: "This has nothing to do with terrorism."

Aug. 24, 11:31am: The weapon was a 45 caliber pistol with eight magazine holes. 

Aug. 24, 11:30am: The shooter was a resident of Manhattan. 

Aug. 24, 11:29am: According to Mayor Bloomberg the shooter did not have a criminal record. 

Aug. 24, 11:27am: Johnson pulled a gun on cops before cops shot and killed him. 

Aug. 24, 11:26am: Shooter was 53 years of age and other victim was 41 years of age. No children were shot. Two women and seven men were shot. 

Aug. 24, 11:26am: The two people dead are Johnson and his former coworker. 

Aug. 24, 11:23 am: Shooter was named Jeffrey Johnson. Johnson had been employed for six years at Hazan Imports on 33rd street the shooting took place right outside his former place of business. He attacked with a 50 caliber weapon. 

Aug. 24, 11:22 am: Bloomberg credits NYPD and civilians for helping cause what could have even been a bigger catastropher. 

Aug. 24, 11:21 am: Mayor Bloomberg speaking from the scene says man had been fired from his job "a year or so ago." 

Aug. 24, 11:09 am: Live footage of Mayor Bloomberg speaking on this morning's events: 

Aug. 24, 11:02 am: Reports indicate that the gunman was a security guard who was fired yesterday from his job either at or around the Empire State Building. 

Aug. 24, 10:54 am: NYPD officially confirms gunman is dead. 

Aug. 24, 10:40 am: CNN is reporting that one of the dead is a civilian woman. The shooting occurred as people were lining up to gain entrace into the Empire State Building, one of the city's busiest tourist attractions. 

Aug. 24, 10:36 am: According to a tweet from the mayor's office, Mayor Bloomberg will be holding a press conference at 11 am. 

Aug. 24, 10:33 am: An areial image of the area surrounding the shooting:

Aug. 24, 10:25 am: New York Daily News reports that the gunman was well dressed and wearing a grey suit. He attacked a man outside the entrance to the Empire State Building, in what is being called a dispute between coworkers. 

Aug. 24, 10:16 am: A witness told CNN that the gunman ran after a man and shot him in the head.

Aug. 24, 10:05 am: Victims are being treated on the corner of 34th Street and Fifth Avenue. The scene outside the Empire State Building is tense with crowds gathered on all corners, and police and ambulances blocking off access to the area.