Shooting at City Hall

on CNN.com it says they shot him... are they wrong? (d a m n CNN)
my FH works down there too.

Shelly, my DH works right over there too. He called me up and said to put on the news, there is something going on! Hellicopters are flying past my window!!!

I think two people were shot. One was a Brooklyn councilman

LOL...thanks, MISTY!!

Chippa gives so many news updates...thought it was her

7 online .com named the bklyn councilman


Ten shots, fired shortly after 2:00 p.m., sent reporters in the press room diving for cover beneath their desks. Loud screaming echoed through City Hall as the gunfire began. It reportedly lasted for about three minutes. Soon after, Newscopter 7 watched as two people were taken out on stretchers and taken to NYU Downtown Hospital.

Eyewitness News is told Councilman James Davis is one of those shot. That news comes from his office. A police officer at the scene says Davis was shot twice in the chest.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg was on the first floor when the shots were fired on the second floor, and was not hurt. Just after 3:15pm, the mayor released a statement that the incident does not appear to have any connection to terrorism.

The front of City Hall has been closed off and the building evacuated. The Brooklyn Bridge was shut down to traffic as police began their investigation. Many streets are closed.

Here's the rest of the impact on traffic this afternoon.

There is police activity in the area of city hall on the following lines : N, R, 4,5,6, and Cnnections for the J, M, and Z, lines.

On the FDR, expect delays from Brooklyn Bridge to 34th Street

Motorists are told to avoid the area of City Hall if they can. The streets immediately around City Hall are closed. Southbound Broadway is closed at Duane St. Chambers is closed both ways at Church Street. Park Row is closed at Spruce Street.

Police officers, some of them in riot gear, were seen running across the plaza in front of the building once the shooting stopped.

How the shooter got a gun into city hall and past security is just one of the questions for investigators as the search continues for the gunman.




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From www.ny1.com

Gunman Injures Three In Attack In City Hall
JULY 23RD, 2003

A man opened fire with a gun inside City Hall this afternoon, and sources tell NY1 three police officers have been injured. There are also reports a City Councilman was shot, but those reports have not yet been confirmed.

According to NY1 reporter Michael Scotto, who was in City Hall’s Blue Room at the time of the shooting, up to 12 shots were heard coming from the second floor of the building shortly after 2 p.m.

Eyewitnesses say a man on a second floor balcony pulled out a gun and began firing at a second man. Those same witnesses say a security guard returned fire.

“I looked up at the balcony and I saw an individual walk across the balcony with a gun and he was pointing at something in the balcony and started to fire. At that point, everyone started to realize what was going on,” Councilman Tony Avella told NY1 in a phone interview. 'I did see him walk across with the gun pointed. I did not hear him say anything. The shots rang out across the chamber so loud, you could not hear anything but that. He did manage to get off a number of shots. Quite a large number, I thought.'

City Hall was immediately evacuated, police have secured the area outside the building, and the NYPD has initialized a Level One mobilization, meaning they are treating the incident as a terrorist attack. However, police stress there is no reason to believe this incident is related to terrorism.

Ambulances have also responded to the scene, and stretchers have been brought into the building. Sources tell NY1 that some of the injured are expected to be transported to Bellevue Hospital.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s spokesman says the mayor, who was in his office at the time of the shooting, is unharmed.

It is unclear whether the gunman has been apprehended or not. However, there are reports police are seeking a man in a blue suit in connection with the shooting.

According to Metro Traffic, the Brooklyn Bridge has been closed, and the northbound FDR Drive is closed from the Brooklyn Bridge to 34th Street.

In addition, Chambers Street has been shut down eastbound at Church Street, and Broadway has been closed south of Duane Street.

According to the Transit Authority, 4, 5 and 6 trains are bypassing the Brooklyn Bridge station; N, R and 2 trains are bypassing the City Hall station; and the J train is bypassing the Chambers Street station.

NY1 will have more on this breaking news story as soon as more information becomes available.

they have pics up too



and james davis, is he alive?? It didnt say

yes, james davis died...

I just heard that one of the victims died but they couldn't confirm who

he did die
such a shame

This story is updated with more details:


One killed in NY City Hall shooting
Wednesday, July 23, 2003 Posted: 3:37 PM EDT (1937 GMT)

Two people are taken from City Hall on stretchers after a shooting.


NEW YORK (CNN) -- One person was killed and another wounded in a shooting Wednesday at New York's City Hall, and the shooter remains at large, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

Councilman Joel Rivera said the gunman was talking with Councilman James Davis and then pulled out a handgun and shot him. The shooter had come in with one of Davis' staff members, Rivera said, which could indicate he did not have to go through standard security procedures.

Two people were carried out on stretchers. A Fire Department of New York spokesman said two were transported to NYU Hospital in Lower Manhattan. The hospital said it has two people from the scene, and both were receiving emergency treatment.

'This is an attack on democracy,' said Bloomberg. 'This is not terrorism -- it appears to be a random act.'

Bloomberg was inside his office in the City Hall building when the shooting occurred, said his press secretary, Edward Skyler.

'We have a description of the shooter and that description is being used by the police at this moment -- they are searching City Hall and they are searching the neighborhood,' Bloomberg said.

There are conflicting reports on whether the shooter was wounded.

Councilman Michael McMahon of Staten Island described the shooter as a man in his 40s wearing a cream-colored suit.

Several City Council members said they were in the chamber waiting for a session to begin when someone in the balcony fired multiple shots with a silver handgun -- and that a City Council member was hit and fell to the ground.

Then, the shooter appeared to be shot, and he fell down, City Council members said. It was not clear who shot him.

'All pandemonium broke out,' McMahon said.

Councilwoman Gale Brewer described a scene of panic.

'We dove under our desks and we were piled on top of each other because so many of us had never experienced something like this,' she said. 'Soon, everyone was running down the stairs to get out of the building.'

'We were running really fast. People were tripping, they were falling -- they were even falling over the line in front of the guard rail. And then we ran down into the rotunda of the City Hall and then we were told by the police to run even further. People were jumping over the fence that is in City Hall parking lot to get out into the street,' she said.

OMG- I can't believe he died. That is so sad

I cant get over this...it is so horrible! Prayers for all families especially James Davis'

Ugh, now they are saying it was one of this Councilman's opponents in the upcoming race!