After choir performance, gunman starts open-fire.in New York
The incident took place on Sunday at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of New York where a man began open-firing two semiautomatic handguns at the end of an outdoor choir performance.
The gunman was fatally shot dead by the police on the steps of New York’s Catheral Church where the 45-minutes outdoor Christmas Choral concert was organised. The firing began just before 4pm and along with the gunman’s shouting “Kill Me!” A sergeant, a detective and a police officer who were at the incident spot, fired around 15 rounds, killing the man, told New York Police Commissioner Dermot Shea.
“It is by the grace of the God today,” he said, as there were a crowd of several hundred people. Bystanders started drifting away when the gunman started shooting, running down the Amsterdam Avenue screaming and diving to the sidewalk.
The suspect was rushed to a local hospital immediately, where he was pronounced dead. Later police researched and reported that he had a lengthy criminal history. A bag was recovered from him, which was carrying a can of petrol, rope, wire, tape, knives and a well-worn Bible. “I think we can all surmise the ill intentions of the proceeds of this bag,” Shea said.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also Tweeted on the incident saying, “quick action of our NYPD officers kept the crowd safe.” While the New York police commissioner Dermot Shea called the actions of the officers “heroic”.
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