Police: Gunman fatally shoots security guard in federal building, then fatally shoots himself

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Police say a security guard has died after a man walked into a federal building in Manhattan and opened fire.

The guard, identified by his union as Idrisa Camara, died shortly after the shooting Friday evening.

Police say the gunman walked through a side entrance of the building that houses an immigration court and other government offices.

Chief James O’Neil says the gunman later shot himself in the head. He was found dead in the building.

A law enforcement official identified the shooter as Kevin Downing, of Fort Lee, New Jersey.

The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation.

Police say a motive for the shooting remains unclear.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

A man walked into a federal building in New York City late Friday afternoon and opened fire, wounding a security guard in the head, before turning the gun on himself, police said.

The unidentified man died in the building in Manhattan, police said.

The man walked through a side entrance of the building around 5 p.m. and shot the security guard in the head, New York Police Department Chief James O’Neil said. The man then walked through the security area and headed to an elevator, where he encountered another employee, O’Neil said. The man then shot himself in the head.

The guard was taken to a hospital; his condition was not immediately known.

Police said the motive for the shooting remained unclear.

The federal office building on Varick Street houses an immigration court, passport processing centre and a regional office for the Department of Labor. The guard had a weapon but it doesn’t appear he was able to fire, according to police.

O’Neil, speaking at a news conference at the scene, said it appeared the shooter acted alone. He said nothing gave police any reason to believe the shooting was terrorist-related.

Employees at the building said they were told to get down on the ground when the shots rang out. A short time later, the building was placed on lockdown and then evacuated.