Update: More details from AP here. One shooter. Also, learn more about the American Civic Association, here.
The Associated Press reports:
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – A gunman blocked the back door of an immigration services center with his car Friday before walking through the front door firing, wounding at least six people and taking as many as 41 hostage, officials said.
Sky News says the gunman was described as an Asian male. He killed 12, 13 or 15 people.
Latest reports say two Asian males were taken from the scene with their hands bound, suggesting the gunman may not have been working alone.
US news source WGBH said police are looking for a third suspect in connection with the shooting.
The leftist UK Guardian includes this in its news report:
The United States, which has some of the laxest gun control laws of the developed world, has for years been beset by seemingly random mass shootings.
And the story goes on to paint a picture of the United States as a gun-totin’ society rife with killing, with rational gun control held hostage to the “well-organised pro-gun opposition.” (You wouldn’t know Britain’s violent crime rate is much higher than ours from the Guardian.)
What I’m interested in is what sort of Asian these attackers were. In Britain, “Asian” is usually a euphemism for Pakistani Muslims. We don’t have a lot of Pakistanis here, and Asian usually means east Asian.
Aha, here’s an update from the AP as I write:
A law enforcement official says the gunman who killed at least 12 people in Binghamton, N.Y., died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The official spoke Friday on condition of anonymity and said the suspect carried identification showing him as 42-year-old Jiverly Voong (VUNG’) of nearby Johnson City, N.Y.
I don’t know what kind of name that is. I guess we’ll find out, and also find out if there’s a reason he targeted an immigration center — in fact, according to the update, immigrants taking a citizenship class.
Update: I should have said this, but Pamela Geller said it first:
If NY didn’t have such draconian, anti-second amendment gun laws and one of those hostages was carrying – this nightmare would be over. Gun control laws kill innocent people.