A women's accessories designer fatally shot a vice president from his former company outside the Empire State Building on Friday, causing a chaotic showdown with police Friday in front of one of the world's best-known landmarks. Police killed the suspect and at least nine others were wounded, some by stray police gunfire, authorities said.
The gunshots rang out on the Fifth Avenue side of the building at around 9 a.m., when pedestrians on their way to work packed sidewalks and merchants were opening their shops.
‘‘People were yelling ‘Get down! Get down!'', an accountant who was on a bus in the area when he heard the shots. ‘‘It took about 15 seconds, a lot of ‘pop, pop, pop, pop, one shot after the other.''
Afterward, he saw the sidewalks littered with the wounded, including one person ‘‘dripping enough blood to leave a stream.''
Wearing a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase, Jeffrey, wordlessly walked up to the vice president, identified by officials as Steven Ercolino, put a gun to his head and fired three times, according to authorities and witnesses.
‘‘Jeffrey just came from behind two cars, pulled out his gun, put it up to Steve's head and shot him,'' said Carol Timan, whose daughter, Irene, was walking to Hazan Imports at the time with Steven.
Johnson, had traded accusations of harassment when Johnson worked there, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said; law enforcement officials said that Johnson had been angry that Ercolino wasn't promoting his products.
There were conflicting accounts about whether Johnson fired at the police officers or just pointed the gun at them. As for if the officers were fired upon, but later said police were investigating. Johnson can be seen on video reaching into a bag, pulling out a .45-caliber pistol and pointing it at officers.
The officers drew their weapons and fired 14 rounds, killing Johnson.
‘‘These officers ... had absolutely no choice,'' ‘‘This individual took a gun out very close to them and perhaps fired at them.''
Police may be responsible for some of the injuries because of the limited capacity of the gunman's weapon. Johnson's semi-automatic weapon was equipped to fire at least eight rounds; at least one round was left in the clip, police said. Another loaded magazine was in his briefcase.
The gunshots rang out on the Fifth Avenue side of the building at around 9 a.m., when pedestrians on their way to work packed sidewalks and merchants were opening their shops.
‘‘People were yelling ‘Get down! Get down!'', an accountant who was on a bus in the area when he heard the shots. ‘‘It took about 15 seconds, a lot of ‘pop, pop, pop, pop, one shot after the other.''
Afterward, he saw the sidewalks littered with the wounded, including one person ‘‘dripping enough blood to leave a stream.''
Wearing a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase, Jeffrey, wordlessly walked up to the vice president, identified by officials as Steven Ercolino, put a gun to his head and fired three times, according to authorities and witnesses.
‘‘Jeffrey just came from behind two cars, pulled out his gun, put it up to Steve's head and shot him,'' said Carol Timan, whose daughter, Irene, was walking to Hazan Imports at the time with Steven.
Johnson, had traded accusations of harassment when Johnson worked there, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said; law enforcement officials said that Johnson had been angry that Ercolino wasn't promoting his products.
There were conflicting accounts about whether Johnson fired at the police officers or just pointed the gun at them. As for if the officers were fired upon, but later said police were investigating. Johnson can be seen on video reaching into a bag, pulling out a .45-caliber pistol and pointing it at officers.
The officers drew their weapons and fired 14 rounds, killing Johnson.
‘‘These officers ... had absolutely no choice,'' ‘‘This individual took a gun out very close to them and perhaps fired at them.''
Police may be responsible for some of the injuries because of the limited capacity of the gunman's weapon. Johnson's semi-automatic weapon was equipped to fire at least eight rounds; at least one round was left in the clip, police said. Another loaded magazine was in his briefcase.
A women's accessories designer fatally shot a vice president from his former company outside the Empire State Building on Friday, causing a chaotic showdown with police Friday in front of one of the world's best-known landmarks. Police killed the suspect and at least nine others were wounded, some by stray police gunfire, authorities said.
The gunshots rang out on the Fifth Avenue side of the building at around 9 a.m., when pedestrians on their way to work packed sidewalks and merchants were opening their shops.
‘‘People were yelling ‘Get down! Get down!'', an accountant who was on a bus in the area when he heard the shots. ‘‘It took about 15 seconds, a lot of ‘pop, pop, pop, pop, one shot after the other.''
Afterward, he saw the sidewalks littered with the wounded, including one person ‘‘dripping enough blood to leave a stream.''
Wearing a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase, Jeffrey, wordlessly walked up to the vice president, identified by officials as Steven Ercolino, put a gun to his head and fired three times, according to authorities and witnesses.
‘‘Jeffrey just came from behind two cars, pulled out his gun, put it up to Steve's head and shot him,'' said Carol Timan, whose daughter, Irene, was walking to Hazan Imports at the time with Steven.
Johnson, had traded accusations of harassment when Johnson worked there, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said; law enforcement officials said that Johnson had been angry that Ercolino wasn't promoting his products.
There were conflicting accounts about whether Johnson fired at the police officers or just pointed the gun at them. As for if the officers were fired upon, but later said police were investigating. Johnson can be seen on video reaching into a bag, pulling out a .45-caliber pistol and pointing it at officers.
The officers drew their weapons and fired 14 rounds, killing Johnson.
‘‘These officers ... had absolutely no choice,'' ‘‘This individual took a gun out very close to them and perhaps fired at them.''
Police may be responsible for some of the injuries because of the limited capacity of the gunman's weapon. Johnson's semi-automatic weapon was equipped to fire at least eight rounds; at least one round was left in the clip, police said. Another loaded magazine was in his briefcase.
The gunshots rang out on the Fifth Avenue side of the building at around 9 a.m., when pedestrians on their way to work packed sidewalks and merchants were opening their shops.
‘‘People were yelling ‘Get down! Get down!'', an accountant who was on a bus in the area when he heard the shots. ‘‘It took about 15 seconds, a lot of ‘pop, pop, pop, pop, one shot after the other.''
Afterward, he saw the sidewalks littered with the wounded, including one person ‘‘dripping enough blood to leave a stream.''
Wearing a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase, Jeffrey, wordlessly walked up to the vice president, identified by officials as Steven Ercolino, put a gun to his head and fired three times, according to authorities and witnesses.
‘‘Jeffrey just came from behind two cars, pulled out his gun, put it up to Steve's head and shot him,'' said Carol Timan, whose daughter, Irene, was walking to Hazan Imports at the time with Steven.
Johnson, had traded accusations of harassment when Johnson worked there, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said; law enforcement officials said that Johnson had been angry that Ercolino wasn't promoting his products.
There were conflicting accounts about whether Johnson fired at the police officers or just pointed the gun at them. As for if the officers were fired upon, but later said police were investigating. Johnson can be seen on video reaching into a bag, pulling out a .45-caliber pistol and pointing it at officers.
The officers drew their weapons and fired 14 rounds, killing Johnson.
‘‘These officers ... had absolutely no choice,'' ‘‘This individual took a gun out very close to them and perhaps fired at them.''
Police may be responsible for some of the injuries because of the limited capacity of the gunman's weapon. Johnson's semi-automatic weapon was equipped to fire at least eight rounds; at least one round was left in the clip, police said. Another loaded magazine was in his briefcase.
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