[Marxism] Mass murder at immigrant rights center

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

NY Times, April 4, 2009
At Least 12 Slain in Binghamton, N.Y.
By MITCHELL L. BLUMENTHAL and LIZ ROBBINS

Twelve or 13 people were killed when a gunman opened fire in an 
immigration services center in Binghamton, N.Y., Gov. David A. Paterson 
said Friday.

"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,” Governor 
Paterson said in a statement Friday afternoon. “We are monitoring the 
situation, and I have directed the State Police to assist the Binghamton 
Police Department in any way they can.”

The gunman, described as a man in his 20s, had a high-powered rifle, 
Mayor Matthew Ryan of Binghamton told The Binghamton Press & Sun 
Bulletin. NBC News quoted law enforcement sources saying that several 
weapons were recovered from the scene.

According to several news reports, the police said the gunman shot and 
killed himself and may be among the count of 12 or 13 dead.

The Associated Press quoted a local official as saying that the gunman 
barricaded the rear door of the association building with his car before 
entering through the front door, firing his weapon.

The newspaper’s web site quoted the police there as saying that about 40 
hostages were initially in the building. Shortly after noon, about 10 
people were released from the building, the reports said, and about 40 
minutes later another 10 were released.

The Binghamton Police Department declined to provide details of the 
shootings, as officers and members of local SWAT teams surrounded the 
building, situated on a mixed commercial and residential strip on the 
west bank of the Chenango River near the center of the city.

Binghamton High School, around the corner from the scene of the 
shootings, was locked down, and nearby apartment buildings were being 
evacuated, according to the newspaper. It quoted the mayor of 
Binghamton, Matthew Ryan, as saying the gunman had a high-powered rifle.

The mayor scheduled a news conference at 4 p.m. Eastern time to brief 
reporters about the situation.

The association describes itself on its Web site an organization that 
aids immigrants and refugees.

Maryam Weisser, a vice president of the civic association, said in a 
telephone interview that she was not sure how many people were killed, 
though she knew that the group’s secretary and a case worker were in the 
building and that classes in English as a second language were going on 
at the time of the shooting.

“This is the friendliest, nicest place to be,” Ms. Weisser, a volunteer 
from Vestal, N.Y., said. “This is a community where we help with any 
immigrant issue, with citizenship and translation.”

________________________________________________
YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message.
Send list submissions to: Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Set your options at: 
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40archives.econ.utah.edu