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N.Y. Shooting Multiple Victims; Gov. Paterson, "This is a Tragic Day"; Gunman Dead From Apparent Self-Inflicted Headshot
Aired April 03, 2009 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: But right now, not just 12 but up to 12 people, possibly more, have been killed in this shooting that has taken place in this center that deals with refugees and immigration issues.
Just to back up, what we know, initial reports said possibly a young Asian male in his 20s was responsible for opening fire. Mike Brooks, our security analyst here at CNN, had been talking to his sources. Apparently there was a citizenship test that was going on at the time when this man opened fire. And the next we knew we were getting reports that there were up to 40 hostages. Now we're learning that 12 people have been killed in this hostage situation.
A number of hostages hiding in closets. We were told possibly two dozen people hiding in a boiler room. We still cannot confirm if everybody has been taken out of that building. And if the shooter or shooters have indeed been taken in. More video. New video here just being brought in to the scene. You saw possibly, we were getting reports from our affiliate reporter there possibly the National Guard was being brought in to assist.
But we can tell you, we know for sure, all the law enforcement agencies that are there include the FBI. They are assisting right now the Binghamton Police Department, FBI, Albany, has their hostage negotiators there. Also their evidence response team. And they've basically built up a command post that has all these law enforcement officials, whether it's medics -- here we go.
We're getting video in right now of one of the men that has been shot inside this building, on a stretcher. It looks like that he was communicating with the emergency response team right there. That could be good news. We're getting a sighting there of one survivor that has been brought out of that building. What could be happening right now, if indeed that shooter could still be inside. He could be contained. There is a possibility that shooter has been brought out of that building. We still don't know. We're getting a lot of conflicting reports. But we are seeing people being brought out of that American Civic Association center at this point.
Josh Levs has been following all the websites for us, all the local affiliates that are covering this story. Also, the dynamics of that building there. Josh, there's just so many conflicting numbers and reports, we just can't confirm at this time whether this is over.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And that's why one reason I'm not going to close in on the twitter board. There's a lot about this on Twitter, it's one of the top topics right now. We can't tell you which ones are rumors, which ones are responding to some people who have heard reports that might not be accurate. I can tell you there's tons of traffic about this. A lot of people weighing in.
Also, some things I can show you right here. Kyra, let's zoom in. We're going to start off with me telling you, this is our top story right now at cnn.com. Any time you go there, mobile device, wherever you are, you'll see it. I know we have international viewers with us right now, this is pretty much the easiest way to understand where we're talking about.
This is a map of New York right here. The city, New York City is way down there. This is Binghamton right here. You've got the capital, you've got Binghamton right there. This is the area that we're talking about throughout the day. This is the street where all this happened.
I showed this earlier. I want you to see it again. I know Chad had a good image. The one thing I like about Google Earth on this map is it lets you kind of ride down the road. This is obviously not a live image. But where this has been happening today looks like a relatively residential road that you can find pretty much anywhere. You see some small businesses. You see some homes.
We have been reporting, and we have been hearing from the authorities, obviously people who needed to be removed from this area have been from other homes. But this is the kind of area we're talking about. It's not some packed-away area that's empty or only has this building. It is a relatively busy street where some people live, some people have small businesses as well.
Kyra, I'm going to tell you one more thing before I toss it back to you. We're getting some iReport photos that have been interesting about what the scene looks like right now, what it's like to be out there. Let's zoom in one last time. These are interesting.
These come to us from a person who took several pictures today in a safe way. He was in an area where authorities are allowing people to be. We're able to show you this, just what it's done to this community, the way people have come up to the area that they're allowed to be at. All sorts of authorities there, obviously. On any other day, it would be a relatively quiet area where people live and a few small businesses.
Kyra, any details we get they're going straight up on cnn.com and I'll pop right back in with you here on TV and get you them right away.
PHILLIPS: All right, Josh, sure, appreciate it.
If you're just tuning in, we're following a breaking news story out of Binghamton, New York. At least one gunman has shot and killed at least 12 people. Actually, it's not four people anymore, if we could alert our writers, please, it's up to 12 people that have been shot and killed. Dozens more wounded. It happened inside a center that actually helps immigrants and refugees. That's from our law enforcement sources.
Our affiliate station WBNG is reporting now at least 12 people dead. All right. I was told that we could confirm that.
Can we not confirm that number? Can someone tell me, please? OK. Can we get our facts straight? That would be really great.
Let's clear what's up there, please. I'll just take it back from what I've got to this point.
Twelve people confirmed killed in a very chaotic situation right now. We're trying to keep up with the right numbers and the right facts.
Here's what I can tell you, what I know so far as I've been getting information. It started about 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time here in Binghamton, New York. We're getting pictures here from our affiliate News 10. They've been giving us all the latest video as they've been feeding it in.
Apparently, an Asian male in his 20s came into this center, the American Civic Association Center, it's a center that assists immigrants and refugees with all kinds of issues. We are told he opened fire. We are told he opened fire with a high-powered rifle. The frightening thing about that is the power of that type of weapon, and a weapon that could easily penetrate a bulletproof vest.
As you can see here, the sheriff's SWAT team arriving with their full gear. And they have been dealing in the command post on how they're going to proceed, taking care of the perimeter around that building. Also deciding what exactly they're going to do to try and take this gunman out of that building with preventing any more loss of life.
We were getting conflicting reports. You heard that some people were brought out of the back of that building in plastic constraints. We don't know if that indeed was the gunman. We also got word possibly there were two gunmen. We have not been able to confirm that indeed anyone has been taken into custody that was involved in that shooting. We don't know how many hostages have been released.
We're really trying as hard as we can to confirm the information that we're getting from various sources. But we're going through our affiliate News 10, and the reporter there on the scene has been talking to eyewitnesses. Also, our Mike Brooks, our security analyst, has been working his sources as well. He said this all started inside the building while a class on citizenship was taking place and a gunman opened fire.
Twelve people, we are told, are dead. Possibly dozens more being held hostage in the American Civic Association there in Binghamton, New York.
We are getting a statement now from the Governor of New York, David Paterson. As I'm looking at it here in no way, shape or form has he said that this is over. This is what the governor is saying right now, "This is a tragic day for New York. While the situation is still developing, and details are being gathered, we do know that a gunman entered the American Civic Association in Binghamton this morning, and that there are fatalities. We are monitoring the situation and I have directed the state police to assist the Binghamton Police Department in any way that they can. I speak for all of New York when I offer my prayers for the victims and families of this tragedy."
We are following this breaking news story, trying to confirm if indeed the gunmen have been taken hostage, one or two gunmen have been taken into custody at this point.
More right after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Chad Myers helping us follow the breaking news out of Binghamton, New York right now. Still cannot confirm if this hostage situation is over.
Chad, we know up to 12 people have been killed, possibly two gunmen. We can confirm one that had a high-powered rifle inside the American Civic Association there in Binghamton, New York. I know you've been tracking Google Earth, also Microsoft Virtual Earth.
What can you tell us about the scene right now?
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: What we know about the scene is that no testing takes place here. I got an e-mail from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. They said there was no test going on. There are only classes that go on to get your citizenship from this building. The closest place you could literally take the test for a citizenship would be Albany, in the capital there.
When I heard the word test, in my mind I thought, wow, something didn't go right, you know. Some image of the test didn't go right and he probably got mad, whatever that was. I'm sure other people were thinking that, too. In fact, there were no tests going on. There's no testing in that facility whatsoever - Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, so now with regard to the picture, tell me the difference between Google Earth and Microsoft Virtual Earth and what you've been able to see, and what's the difference between those two, Chad?
MYERS: What I'm showing you now here, Microsoft Virtual Earth, that's what's called the oblique view. We can zoom in, we can go 3D, you can do all this at home as well.
Here's the building. A very long building. East and west, north to south. And the building itself is right on front street.
As I zoom back out, the river, which would be the Chenango River is here. You think of Binghamton as kind of on the Susquehanna, but the Susquehanna is still to the left of the screen when the Chenango attaches to the Susquehanna. And on this live search from Microsoft Virtual Earth, you can literally spin the buildings around. So you can get a better feel, let me zoom in here, you can get a better feel of the side of the building as well. Something that the Google Earth street view doesn't do. They're both fantastic tools for us to use here. You can see all the glass on the side of the building.
And also the other image here on the back side, talking about the shooter blocking the back entrance here with a car. The image, all the images that we show you here, these are stock images when the satellite, or when the airplane image went over, when the picture or image was taken.
Nothing here is live. Nothing we would show you is live because we wouldn't want to put any of the people there, any of the law enforcement people in danger at all.
And so that's why we've been showing you these stock images of what the building looks like. Kind of a long building. Runs away from Front Street and the parking lot would be in the back. That's where all the parking lot cars are there.
Most of these buildings along Front Street have been zoned into the commercial real estate area. They look like they're old big, very large, old homes and they are. But they have been reconfigured and rezoned to be businesses and offices and so on and so forth - Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, appreciate it, Chad. Thank you very much for bringing the information.
Let's go to former FBI negotiator, Chris Voss on the phone with us right now.
Chris, we're trying to figure out what exactly is going on inside this center. We're getting conflicting information that possibly the gunmen were taken into custody. Now we are not able to confirm that. Even the governor has come forward with a statement that's not saying anything about this being over.
Are your sources telling you anything, Chris, about the situation inside that building right now?
CHRIS VOSS, FORMER FBI NEGOTIATOR (via telephone): There are a million possibilities, of course, that there are multiple shooters, which is the reason they would be bringing individuals who have not yet been identified as hostages or perpetrators, why they would be bringing them out in handcuffs.
A lot of the information about it at this time indicates that there was a great deal of planning that went into this, making sure in light of recent shootings around the world, that you're not dealing with multiple shooters is the first thing that they have to think about.
PHILLIPS: And Chris, the SWAT training that I had participated in, I remember SWAT team members, they all had the plastic constraints. Because no one ever knew who they were going to come across and if they would have to put somebody into custody. Now, the eyewitness said they saw just regular police officers, not SWAT members, bringing out two Asian males that might have fit the description of one of the gunmen in plastic restraints. In a situation like this, no matter who you go in and get, you've got to put in plastic restraints, because you don't know who the good guy is and the bad guy is.
But let me ask you, would you put a gunman that's killed 12 people in plastic constraints if that's all you had?
VOSS: Well, because they're highly effective restraints. These restraints are great at binding anyone who's dangerous, and rendering them less of a threat and bringing them out without harming them. And it's a great way of doing it, whether it's a SWAT member or whether it's just a uniformed police officer, who have also been through this situation enough that they know what they're doing. Yes, it is a good idea.
PHILLIPS: So it's very possible that the shooter, or multiple shooters could have been taken out in custody, taken out in custody. But we're not getting word, I mean, even though we've seen people come out and we've seen them in restraints and they may fit the drippings possibly of the gunman, we're still not getting any confirmation at all that this is over. So we can only assume that it's ongoing, and there could be other shooters inside. And there could be a number of hostages at risk.
VOSS: Absolutely. Particularly in light of what happened in Mumbai because every shooter in the world saw what happened there. The fact that the authorities were claiming there that it was over, before it was, before the scene was safe. I mean, the authorities in New York are being very cautious, and they're taking a very prudent approach.
PHILLIPS: Let's talk about what's happening right now. Just knowing what we do know to this point, we've got reports that 12 people have been killed, possibly up to 40 hostages. Let's just assume this is not over. You've got all types of entities there on the scene working out of the command post. You've got the FBI. You've got the SWAT team. You've got your negotiators. Sort of explain to our viewers what's happening right now. I mean, you've got negotiators trying to get in touch with this gunman, if indeed he's still inside. And then you've got, of course, the SWAT team preparing to make entry, if indeed someone opens fire again, correct?
VOSS: Yes. Exactly. There are different parts of each one of these components that are trained to begin to respond immediately, to begin to reduce the threat, and at the same time prepare for it on three levels. The immediate threat, the long-term threat and if it calls for them to go in right away.
Negotiators are looking to make contact with the shooters on the inside of the hostage takers, because they're exercising a concept that's known as verbal containment. They can begin to talk to them and find out what's going on. And generally speaking when the shooter is talking on the phone, he's not shooting people at the same time.
So any sort of engagement in that regard, helps calm the situation and reevaluate the situation.
PHILLIPS: Go ahead, please, Chris.
VOSS: The other elements are falling into place, preparing for the other predictable levels of this. If this turns into some sort of a long-term siege, where the lethality has been reduced and the killing has been stopped, how do you get everybody out alive. What they do now is they have to focus on getting everybody that's still alive out of there alive.
PHILLIPS: And you bring up a very good point. We've tried to emphasize that, that the last thing anybody on that SWAT team wants to do is have to take the life of anybody. And maybe we should make that point, Chris, that if indeed the gunman is still inside, or there are multiple gunmen, that that SWAT team has to make entry, if they open fire, correct? Because the number one priority is to try and save the lives of those hostages.
VOSS: Exactly. If they know that the threat is gone, they have to go inside. Because of the unfortunate violence that we face with the different school shootings, there are elements of the SWAT team that are prepared to move in immediately as soon as they have four or more people together. They're ready for that eventuality, as long as they show up on the scene they're ready to go.
PHILLIPS: Someone with your background, you're a former FBI negotiator, you are the main guy in a situation like this, I mean, you are brought in to try to calm the situation down, to calm the gunman down, to get the gunman out of there, to not hurt anybody else.
So, kind of put me in the mindset of a negotiator right now. Let's say they are still inside that building, and the gunman is still holding possibly up to 40 people hostage.
Tell me, as a negotiator, what are you doing right now?
VOSS: Well, negotiator is getting ready to make contact and wants to engage the shooter in finding out how they can get them out of there. And not lose anybody else's life, find out what it is that's driving the situation, defuse whatever it is that's driving the situation and find a way to get everybody out OK.
Negotiators are also there to make sure that whatever law enforcement does is as risk effective as possible. Believe it or not, their blanket of verbal containment that protects not only the hostages on the inside, keeps the law enforcement on the outside from taking unnecessary risk. It protects the other law enforcement elements.
PHILLIPS: All right. Chris Voss, former FBI negotiator, really appreciate you adding some insight. Stick with us, please.
I'm told now I have the congressman for this district on the phone, Congressman Maurice Hinchey.
Congressman, can you tell me if you have gotten any word if this is over, if there is a gunman, or multiple gunmen in custody?
REP. MAURICE HINCHEY (D-NY), 22CD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT (via telephone): No, we have not gotten that word, and so we don't know what the set of circumstances is exactly. We've gotten a variation of information, including estimation on numbers of the people who have been shot, that ranges in the neighborhood of a dozen up to as high as 14.
So there's a lot of circumstances that are going on there now, which are not precisely clear. And there's the interaction from the police forces, in trying to engage in this situation, and trying to prevent any further killings from taking place.
PHILLIPS: So at this point, you have no confirmation that any gunman is in custody? So as far as you're concerned, there are still hostages in that building, and there is still possibly one or more gunmen inside that building?
HINCHEY: Well, I'm talking to you now from Albany. I'm here with a meeting with Governor Paterson. And the plan is for us to go to Binghamton shortly, fly down there, in a few minutes and try to be directly engaged in that situation.
But with regard to the information, as it is developing there, there is inadequate precision with regard to the facts. We have information that there were two people who were taken out in handcuffs, but it's not clear that -- if that statement is actually accurate. And, of course, if it is accurate, who those two people were. So there's a lot of this situation which is still very unclear, which continues to be effectively engaged in.
PHILLIPS: So you and the governor still are not clear what exactly is going on inside that building?
HINCHEY: We are not clear, because we're not there yet. We're in Albany and we intend to be there probably within the next hour.
PHILLIPS: OK, Congressman, I would sure like to talk to you once you get on the scene. Congressman Maurice Hinchey we'll talk to you soon. I appreciate so much you getting on the phone with us.
HINCHEY: Thank you very much.
PHILLIPS: We're going to take a quick break and we continue following our breaking news right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: We're still watching that deadly standoff in Binghamton, New York, right now. At least one gunman has shot an immigration support center, shot up an immigration support center now.
Police there tell our affiliate WBNG that 12 or more people are dead. CNN can only confirm through our own sources at least four people being killed.
Police have taken two men away in plastic restraints. But it's not clear whether they're suspects, hostages or neither. It's also not clear whether hostages are still being held inside that building. At one point, we were told there were possibly 40 hostages.
Josh Levs has been monitoring all the websites for us, the various affiliates.
Also, I know you've been following the pictures through, has it been Google Earth, Josh?
LEVS: Yes, we've got Google Earth going on. We've got iReport. We have so many screens open up here, absolutely. We're looking at all the latest images that we get.
Let me in fact show you one, this is someone who lives elsewhere in Binghamton, but just showed the flyover as well. We now have a major page that's focusing on some of these. And as we get them, and are able to prove that they were taken without anyone going to any kind of danger, we're going to show you those. Also this Kyra, this is the website for the New York governor getting a ton of traffic right now.
Earlier this hour, we mentioned we have a statement from him. I'm going to show you part of it again right here. He calls it a tragic day for New York. He's speaking for the entire state there. The situation is still developing, details are being gathered.
We do know that a gunman entered the American Civic Association in Binghamton this morning and that there are fatalities. Let me bring you down to the end of this here. He says, "I speak for all of New York when I offer my prayers for the victims and families of this tragedy."
Now, Kyra, you were just mentioning Google Earth. This is one thing that's interesting, helps people get a sense of the kind of place we're talking about, what the street is like. This is the building where all of this has taken place over the last several hours that we've been focusing on.
I'm going to step out of the way one more time and give everyone, if you're just joining us, a sense of what this street is like, what the whole area is like. Because I want people to understand this isn't a major business road. There are people's private homes on this road. Seems relatively quiet. There are some small businesses here, some homes. All the reporting has said and the authorities have said that there were some evacuations in the wake of this. Authorities did make sure people got out if they were right in that area.
But you can see this is a relatively quiet street where people live. All of a sudden you've got all these authorities, like we're seeing in the video, swarming down on this area and obviously the number one focus for everyone, make sure everyone who is in danger gets out safely. We're going to keep our eye on this. We're following twitter as well. At all times if you're on the road, you can follow the story right here at cnn.com. We're constantly updating this every few minutes, literally, with the latest reporting information we have - Kyra.
PHILLIPS: I appreciate it, Josh.
Tom Fuentes, former assistant director of the FBI in D.C. joining us now live. He's been following this situation as well.
You know, Tom, this is one of probably the toughest situations that I've covered in a long time, because usually we've got a pretty good flow of information. And we have good communications with the police department and the FBI. And we can kind of get a gauge on what exactly is happening, but there is a lot of confusion right now whether there is still a gunman or more gunmen inside this building and how many hostages could be held up there in that building.
TOM FUENTES, FORMER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, FBI: You're right, Kyra. That's the most difficult thing in a situation like this, is to try to contain the scene, establish security, a perimeter in close for the law enforcement officers to work. A further out perimeter to keep the public at bay so that they can't possibly get hurt in a situation like this.
But to contain a situation where you have a large building, probably occupied by hundreds of people at the time this began, and now the reports of 20 to 40 hostages still inside, it's very difficult. The police are trying to do exactly what we're trying to do, and that is, get as accurate a picture of what's occurring, what has occurred inside there, as possible.
PHILLIPS: And this all started about 10:30 a.m. Eastern time, so this has been going on for several hours now. And, you know, a big part of this is obviously intelligence. And we haven't been able to get any information about this shooter.
And just put in perspective, Tom, all the different ways. When law enforcement there gets on the scene, obviously they don't want any more people to get killed. They want to get their hands on the gunman or the multiple gunmen, and find out anything they can with them and try to negotiate with them and get them to put an end to this situation.
So take us through that process. The one thing we were able to point out was that apparently the gunman had parked a car in the back to block the exit. So that seemed to be the only thing there on scene that they had attached to that gunman.
And that could lead to information, right? License plate information? Address? There could have been weapons inside the car with fingerprints?
FUENTES: That's correct. The information like that will be followed up on by investigative teams trying to track down through DMV information, who the registered owner of that car was. Then try and determine whether they have a cell phone. What the cell phone traffic may have been leading up to the event, or currently, to determine if there's other people involved in this.
That's one aspect of what would be going on. What would initially be happening is, as the police arrive, the first responders would be trying to contain the situation, establish a secure perimeter. The deployment of snipers, as you've heard about, they're also sniper observers. And the critical fact of that is the observation. That they're immediately setting up in positions where they can observe through windows, doorways, alleyways, as much information as possible.
PHILLIPS: And let me ask you about that, Tom. At what point does a sniper decide, or the commander overseeing the snipers decide, OK, take the shot?
FUENTES: Well, that decision, which would come from the main command post and would either be the, depending on the jurisdiction, the chief of police or the special agent in charge from the FBI, or superintendent of the state police.
That decision is going to be made if they think they're in a position to -- where it's required to save other lives. It will not be taken lightly, and it will not be taken immediately, because you don't know how many other shooters are inside. So you don't know if you kill one, whether that enrages the others. And more innocent victims.
You also don't know in a situation whether the shooters take a hostage and put the hostage in the window, or put the hostage -- a gun in the hostage's hand standing behind them. So it's difficult to tell who the good guys, who the bad guys, who the victims may be in a situation like this.
And that also includes people that may leave from that building. It'll be difficult even throughout the process to determine immediately whether or not people released are shooters or victims. We've had situations in the past where shooters, once they realize there's no escape or no hope, may lay down their weapons and disguise themselves and intermingle with hostages who are leaving a building, thinking they may be able to escape that way.
So, it will be very difficult initially to determine exactly who the key people are in this situation.
PHILLIPS: Tom Fuentes, stay with us. I appreciate your insight.
Obviously a lot of information coming in. We are still trying to confirm whether there is a shooter or multiple shooters inside that building, or if indeed they are in custody. Still trying to confirm if there are hostages there inside the American Civic Association. What we do know, 12 people are confirmed dead. And we still don't know if there's a gunman on the loose somewhere inside that building.
We're going to stay on this developing story right after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: And we're still watching the deadly standoff in Binghamton, New York. At least one gunman has shot up an immigration support center. Police there tell our affiliate WBNG that 12, possibly more people are dead. CNN can only confirm through our own sources at least four people are dead.
Police have taken two men away in plastic restraints, but it's not clear whether they're suspects, hostages or neither.
It's also not clear whether hostages still are being held. At one point, we are told possibly 40 hostages being held in that building.
Chris Voss, former FBI negotiator, joining me once again.
I guess, Chris, first I want to ask, have you been able to call any of your sources within the FBI to confirm anything? I know the FBI has been called in, but we still can't seem to get confirmation whether there are gunmen inside that building or not.
VOSS (via telephone): No, they're not releasing any information to that effect right now to anyone.
PHILLIPS: All right. So we can only go under the assumption, unfortunately, that there is a gunman, possibly multiple gunmen, inside that building and dozens of people being held hostage.
So as a former negotiator, at this point, because we're not getting any word about any gunshots, any sounds of any type of weapons or bombs or anything like that, it could be a possibility that things have calmed for a moment. Is it possible that negotiators could be talking with those gunmen, or a gunman if indeed they have not been taken into custody? Is that possible since we haven't heard any -- anything more about a shooting?
VOSS: Yes. It's absolutely possible. They're going to be doing everything they can to try to find a phone that the gunman will answer. That they will ring up and be able to engage in a conversation and find out what's driving this.
So, yes, it's very possible that they are in contact with him now. Although, I don't have any confirmation of that.
PHILLIPS: It's interesting all the tactics that are used. I've seen cell phones taken by robotic means and put at the front door or the back door. I've seen phones tossed in through windows. We've seen the bullhorn. We've seen all various types of forms of communication tactics to try to get in touch.
What did you use as a negotiator? When you came onto a scene like this, how did you proceed as a negotiator?
VOSS: The first thing that's going to be available is the nearest actual normal, if you will, telephone to the gunman. I mean, you try to ring them on that. There's a possibility that the gunman on the inside are actually calling out and getting a hold of people themselves. They may be calling family. They may be calling friends. If you can find out where they're making those phone calls from, then you're going to try to become a part of those conversations.
PHILLIPS: Chris, stay with me. We're going to go back to our affiliate News 10 that's reporting live. We're going to listen just for a bit.
... they say that he had already blocked the back door with his car.
JODEE KENNEY, NEWS 10 NOW ANCHOR: We did talk to one witness who said that he got a little bit closer than he should have. And he did notice that there was a car in the back of the building and he thought that authorities were using that as a way to protect themselves. But apparently that car is probably the suspect's vehicle.
We understand that two people have been taken into custody. Two men, Asian men. And we could surmise that they might be of Vietnamese descent, because we understand that an official from BCC, actually an assistant professor, was called in, and he speaks Vietnamese. He was called in to help translate what is going on.
And once again, we do have the comment from Governor Paterson. And we'll go ahead and take that for you, so you can listen.
GOV. DAVID PATERSON (D), NEW YORK: And with our deputy secretary from environmental protection, Judith Ink. And so many of you who are here today, we were able to accomplish a lot.
The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Lisa Jackson (ph), was delayed by a flight, but will be here in just a few minutes, and is allowing us to start the program early to give Congressman Hinchey and I a chance to get to Binghamton where a terrible tragedy has occurred today.
An individual went into an American Civic Services center at 135 Front Street in Binghamton, and has killed 12 or 13 people. This is a horrible situation. There's no available data on what's going on there other than the fact that lives have been lost. And there's absolutely no reason or excuse for this kind of shooting and brutal attack of innocent people right here in New York state.
And so on behalf of the residents of New York, and I'm sure Americans and people around the world, we'd like to extend our prayers to the citizens of Binghamton and to the families who have been obviously traumatized by this event.
And I'd like to ask for a moment of silence to that effect.
Before we move to this program, I would like to give time to Congressman Hinchey...
KENNEY: That is a statement from Governor Paterson. He's obviously getting ready to do a news conference on another issue, which we'll be bringing you.
HINCHEY: It's extremely extraordinary and a deep, deep tragedy for all of the people who have been shot and killed, and of course, for all of their families.
And I am very grateful to Governor Paterson for the immediate attention that he is focusing on this tragedy and the kinds of things that need to be done to help alleviate it.
The city of Binghamton is a very beautiful, historic part of this great state of New York. And this tragedy is something that needs attention. And I very much appreciate what the governor is doing. And I very much appreciate the opportunity to be moving to Binghamton very shortly, within a short period of time, to engage ourselves directly in the circumstances there.
Governor, thank you very much.
PATERSON: Thank you.
Also, Senator Tom Libous who is in session in the New York State Senate will accompany us on our trip to Binghamton.
It's always a pleasure to be here at the Albany Museum of History and Art. We have a number of events here. But just to walk through here...
PHILLIPS: All right, the governor of New York there. You also heard Congressman Maurice Hinchey, it's his district where the shooting has taken place.
You heard the governor there also say that he believes that 12 people are dead in that shooting. We are also now getting reports from WBNG, they're out of Binghamton, that the gunman is dead. So we had reported earlier two Asian males brought out in plastic constraints, along with some other people escorted out of that build. There was confusion to whether they were the gunmen or not. And now we are getting word through one of our affiliates, they are reporting a gunman is dead.
So slowly, but surely, we're getting bits of information here. If you're just tuning in, what has happened, it started at 10:30 a.m. this morning. It's been going on for a number of hours. It's almost 3:00 Eastern time.
It all started here at the American Civic Association. We had reports of a young Asian male, possibly in his 20s, opening fire there. And getting - we confirmed four people had been killed. Now we're getting reports, and the governor of New York saying he believes in that number of 12 people now have died in this hostage situation.
Possibly still inside that building, 40 hostages. We cannot confirm whether or not they have all been cleared out of that building. Still getting information. The SWAT team is there, the FBI is there, local law enforcement there, all participating on what has been a horrible day in Binghamton, New York. We're going to continue our coverage. We're going to take a quick break. We'll have more right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Continuing to following breaking news here out of Atlanta headquarters at CNN.
We're watching that deadly standoff in Binghamton, New York. At least one gunman shot up an immigration support center. Police there tell our affiliate WBNG that 12 or more people are now dead. CNN can only confirm through our own sources at least four.
But police have taken two men away in plastic restraints. Not clear whether they're suspects, hostages or neither.
It's also not clear whether hostages are still being held. At one point there were possibly 40 hostages.
Then we got new reports from our affiliate there WBNG that a gunman is dead. That is what they are reporting.
And we also just heard recently from the governor of New York, he also confirmed that number, that 12 are dead.
Here's what he said just moments ago in a news conference.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATERSON: Lives have been lost. And there's absolutely no reason or excuse for this kind of shooting and brutal attack of innocent people right here in New York state.
And so on behalf of the residents of New York, and I'm sure Americans and people around the world, we'd like to extend our prayers to the citizens of Binghamton and to the families who have been obviously traumatized by this event.
And I'd like to ask for a moment of silence to that effect.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Also too, one of my sources based in New York, military sources listening to New York police scanners. He is hearing on the actual police scanners that a lone gunman already killed himself and that all emergency vehicles other than ambulances have been released from the scene. That is what's being said right now in real time on the police scanners out of New York.
Meanwhile, we're going to continue to follow this story. Just to update you once again, the shooting that took place in the center there in Binghamton, New York, the American Civic Association, we are being told one gunman reported dead. That's through one of our affiliates WBNG.
The governor, as you heard, taking a moment of silence. Twelve people now reported dead. Still not sure if that death toll will be higher. Still not sure how many injured have been taken to the hospital.
We are following our local news reports there, News 10 that's been bringing us in this video. Also been talking with our various sources within the FBI and also here at CNN to try and confirm as much information for you as possible.
Tell me where we're going to go from here.
All right, let's go ahead and listen once again to News 10, our affiliate there on the scene.
KAREN LEE, NEWS 10 NOW CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): ... through the back.
At this point we haven't seen anyone else come out. It's been quite some time since we've seen anyone come out. In fact, we've seen several empty ambulances leave the area. But there are still a couple ambulances on scene.
DENNEY: Once again, just to recap what we are doing here, we are bringing you live coverage from Binghamton, the American Civic Association is the site of a very tragic shooting. Apparently 12 or 13 fatalities, according to Governor Paterson.
Senator Tom Libous and Congressman Maurice Hinchey and the governor will all be on their way to Binghamton after they hold an event, they're currently in an event right now at the state capital. They'll be leaving Albany and making their way to Binghamton, where a tragedy has occurred. Up to 13 people died in this shooting.
We do know that authorities brought two people of Asian descent, possibly Vietnamese, out in handcuffs. The reason we say possibly Vietnamese, we're not sure. The authorities have not confirmed anyone has been arrested at this point. This is all visual assessment from our reporters on the scene. And also, the fact that we know that an Broome Community College associate professor was brought in to help translate for the Binghamton Police Department. And they were looking for specifically somebody who spoke Vietnamese.
Our Karen Lee has been reporting for us; our Neil St. Clair. And we have been checking in with quite a few of our reporters on the scene.
And the Associated Press is reporting right now that federal law enforcement officials say that the Binghamton shooter was found dead inside the building. Now, I don't know how that translates into the two other people who were taken into custody by police.
Our Neil St. Clair is standing by and he joins us now with the very latest.
Neil, what do you know?
NEIL ST. CLAIR, NEWS 10 NOW CORRESPONDENT: Hi, JoDee.
Let me shed light on that situation that you just said.
You heard the Binghamton shooter may have been found dead inside the building. Now, we haven't had that confirmed here on the ground, but what we were hearing from eyewitnesses that were a little bit closer than we have been, they were saying that the two people that had been brought out earlier, the two people of Asian descent, weren't exactly in traditional handcuffs. They weren't in regular handcuffs that you see. So perhaps it was a precautionary measure. Perhaps those weren't exactly the suspects. We can't be sure.
Of course, we will update and confirm once we find out exactly what happened, if there was one suspect, if there were two suspects, whatever the situation may be.
But as you said, this has been a dark, dark day for Binghamton. A terrible way to put Binghamton on the map. As I was telling you before, we were talking to Dan Reynolds, chairman of the Broome Country Legislature, this is just a study in contrast. We have the Binghamton University Bearcats going to the NCAA tournament and everybody's thrilled and Binghamton was on the map that way.
And now we have the tragic day, where at least 13 people are dead, perhaps more. Certainly more might be injured. And the shooter himself may possibly be dead as well. We don't have that confirmed just yet, but we will bring you the absolute latest.
We do have a 4:00 press conference. Some people are down there saying it may actually get started around 4:30. We will certainly be there from start to finish to let you know.
There definitely is a police presence still here. Some ambulances have been pulling out of the American Civic Association parking lot. So perhaps at least the injury tally has reached its peak. We can only hope. But right now, we just still have this massive police presence. There are still police gathering here.
The sun is starting to come out, but certainly it is a dark and overtly cloudy day here in Binghamton. So for now, back to you, JoDee.
KENNEY: Neil, you've been doing a very good job on getting perspective from people who were witnessing what was taking place. I understand that the crowd is starting to thin out a built. But there were some people who were...
PHILLIPS: All right, that's our local affiliate there, News 10, on the scene there in Binghamton, New York.
A couple things that we are learning. They are reporting possibly 13 dead. We have been telling you 12 people killed in that hostage situation there inside the American Civic Association.
And then one of my military sources there based in New York listening to New York police scanners, said that he heard it was a lone gunman via those police radios that killed himself. And that all emergency vehicles other than ambulances had been released from the scene.
And if you heard the reporter there on the ground, he, too, talking with his anchor, getting word possibly that gunman was found dead inside the building.
And if you had listened to Howard Robertson, the former commander of the SWAT team there in New Orleans, he had said a couple of hours ago that in situations like this, that that is not uncommon that the gunman will take his own life after going on a rampage like this.
Once again, we're still trying to confirm all the exact details of the situation at this moment. We still cannot confirm whether everybody's been evacuated from that building there in Binghamton, New York. We still have not been able to absolutely confirm if it's 13 people that are dead. We're just going by our local affiliates, local radio stations, and working as much information as possible.
News 10 also just reporting the shooter may have been Vietnamese, because a translator was called in to help in this process. A translator they needed that spoke Vietnamese.
So we're getting a little more -- a couple more facts as we're trying to unfold this story.
We'll follow more and continue this breaking news story right after a quick break.
