[center]'Dozen dead' in NY state shooting    [/center]


A gunman has killed at least 12 people after taking dozens hostage in the US state of New York, the governor says.

One suspected gunman was later found dead inside the immigration centre in Binghamton, federal officials told the Associated Press news agency.

The police are reported to have taken two other people from the building in plastic handcuffs.

Many people are reported to have been injured during the shooting, north-west of New York City.


See www.bbc.co.uk

New York State Governor David Paterson confirmed that 12 or 13 people had been killed.

He said the situation was still developing but that it was a "tragic day for New York".

"We are monitoring the situation and I have directed the State Police to assist the Binghamton Police Department in any way they can," he told reporters.

An unnamed law enforcement official told the Associated Press that the FBI had sent negotiators to the scene.

At least four people were earlier seen being carried away from the building on stretchers. Their condition was not known.

A spokeswoman for Our Lady of Lourdes hospital told the BBC several people had been admitted with "serious" injuries.

Susan Linerode said the hospital was expecting to receive more casualties and staff had been told to stay at work.

Rifle

Eyewitness reported seeing a man of Asian appearance in his 20s entering the ACA building in mid-morning local time.
He was described by local media as being 1.6m to 1.8m (5ft 8in to 6ft) and wearing a bright green nylon jacket and dark-rimmed glasses.

The town's Mayor Matthew Ryan told reporters the gunman was carrying a high-powered rifle.

There were reports that several dozen people had been hiding in the building but witnesses said they later saw groups of people leaving.

The Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin said homes nearby had been evacuated and a police commando unit was at the scene.

It said apartments and a nearby school and care home were under lockdown and some streets had been sealed off.

Bob Joseph of WNBF Radio told the BBC the town had never experienced an incident on such a scale before.

The ACA says on its website that it assists immigrants and refugees with personal and immigration counselling.

YES O! it feels like the wild west out there.

What is the world turning into?