Shootout at the Empire State: Nine bystanders hit in crossfire as cops gun down sacked Manhattan fashion worker who killed boss
Jeffrey Johnson, 53, shot ex-boss Steven Ercolino, 41, three times in the head outside former workplace near New York City skyscraper
Gunman was wearing smart grey suit and carrying briefcase
Ran off but was chased by heroic construction worker who alerted police
When Johnson aimed gun at police, officer shot him dead
Nine injured in gunfire – some might have been hit by police bullets
Rush-hour ruckus took place in heart of New York City at the height of summer when area was swarming with tourists and workers
A disgruntled employee returned to his former workplace and fatally shot his ex-boss three times in the head, sparking early-morning chaos and multiple other injuries near the Empire State Building.
But Jeffrey Johnson, 53, was scuppered in his plans to escape after a construction worker saw the killing, chased him down the street and alerted police, who shot the gunman dead.
In the rush-hour ruckus, nine passersby were injured, including four who suffered gunshot wounds. Two people – the gunman and his former boss – were killed.
The deadly dispute horrified tourists and workers swarming the area around 34th street and Fifth Avenue which, at the height of summer, is experiencing its busiest few weeks.
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Johnson had visited clothing retailers Hazan Imports, where he had been an accessories designer before he was fired as it downsized last year, on 33rd Street and Fifth Avenue at 9 a.m.
He was dressed in a smart grey suit and was carrying a briefcase, the New York Daily News reported.
After his former boss, identified as 41-year-old Steven Ercolino, came out into the street to talk with him, Johnson shot him three times in the head and ran from the scene with his .45 caliber handgun hidden in a bag under his arm.
But he was followed a block north by a construction worker who had witnessed the deadly shooting and alerted two police officers on duty outside the Empire State Building.
When the gunman pulled out his firearm and aimed at them, they shot him dead.
Every Day is Earth Day
2012-08-24 13:36:17
Source: http://www.riseearth.com/2012/08/shootout-at-empire-state-nine.html
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