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N.Y. Councilman Dies in City Hall Gunfire
Yahoo (AP) ^ | 7/23/2003 | TIMOTHY WILLIAMS

Posted on 07/23/2003 1:27:12 PM PDT by The_Victor

NEW YORK - A gunman opened fire during a meeting inside City Council chambers Wednesday afternoon, killing a city councilman who has crusaded against urban violence and wounding another person.

Police swarmed the lower Manhattan neighborhood searching for the gunman. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was in his office during the shooting and unharmed, ruled out terrorism.

Metal detectors have been installed at either end of the plaza outside the building, along with barricades.

"We do not know how someone got a gun in the building," Bloomberg said. "Obviously, there was a breakdown someplace."

The gunman's motive was unknown, said the mayor, who confirmed that one person was killed. A city official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Brooklyn Councilman James Davis, a former police officer, was shot twice in the chest and died.

The second victim was not identified.

"It appears to be a random act, but we cannot allow this to go on, ever. This is an attack on all Americans," Bloomberg said.

Davis, 41, an outspoken presence on the council, joined the police department in 1993, 10 years after he was allegedly beaten by two white officers.

In 1991, Davis, who was black and represented Brooklyn, started "Love Yourself Stop the Violence," a not-for-profit organization dedicated to stopping violence in urban America. He was elected in 2001, and was a minister.

At least a dozen shots echoed across the second floor of City Hall, sending people diving for cover beneath their desks as the rotunda filled with screams.

"It was so loud you couldn't hear the direction," said City Council photographer Dan Luhmann. "At first, it was absolute stillness. And then people rushed out and ducked under their desks and it was chaotic."

The shooter was one of about 100 people on the balcony inside the second-floor council chambers when the gunfire erupted after 2 p.m, according to eyewitnesses.

Joel Rivera, the council's majority leader, said Davis was in the balcony talking to the shooter when the gunman "pulled out a silver gun, possibly a revolver." Rivera told CNN the shooter may have gotten into City Hall with a Davis staffer.

An emergency worker said the two victims were lying side by side in the balcony, both with bullet wounds to the chest.

Security has been stepped up at City Hall since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In addition to the metal detectors, a uniformed police officer is posted at the gate.

Employees, reporters with current press passes and police officers are not required to pass through metal detectors. It was not immediately clear how the gunman got a weapon inside.

Police were searching for a man in a blue suit in connection with the shooting, which continued for about three minutes.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: New York
KEYWORDS: jamesdavis; nyc; othnielboazaskew
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1 posted on 07/23/2003 1:27:12 PM PDT by The_Victor
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To: The_Victor
Man in a blue suit? Is that all they have?
2 posted on 07/23/2003 1:29:19 PM PDT by Austin Willard Wright
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To: The_Victor
I heard a second person is dead in the shooting.

already posted here.

3 posted on 07/23/2003 1:29:56 PM PDT by bedolido (please let my post be on an even number... small even/odd phobia here)
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To: The_Victor
From the NRO blog:

SPECULATION [Kevin Cherry]
One member of the City Council, interviewed on 880 AM, said that he believes that he saw the gunman with James Davis before the shooting. The member said that Davis introduced him to a man who was going to run against him but now was supporting him. The alleged gunman had a firm handshake and a strange look.

Posted at 04:01 PM

4 posted on 07/23/2003 1:32:03 PM PDT by The Hon. Galahad Threepwood
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To: The_Victor
"It appears to be a random act, but we cannot allow this to go on, ever. This is an attack on all Americans," Bloomberg said.


No it's not, it's an attack on the government in New York City. Get a clue Bloomberg, you don't represent me or anyone else outside of your city you moron.
5 posted on 07/23/2003 1:32:04 PM PDT by samuel_adams_us
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To: The_Victor
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was in his office during the shooting and unharmed, ruled out terrorism... The gunman's motive was unknown, said the mayor

Does anyone else see a disparity here?

6 posted on 07/23/2003 1:32:16 PM PDT by Sloth ("I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!" -- Jacobim Mugatu, 'Zoolander')
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To: The_Victor
"Obviously, there was a breakdown someplace."

Obviously.
7 posted on 07/23/2003 1:32:19 PM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: bedolido
already posted here. Sorry, the original title (when I read the start of the thread) didn't include the news of the City Councilman's death.
8 posted on 07/23/2003 1:33:30 PM PDT by The_Victor
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To: The_Victor
"It appears to be a random act, but we cannot allow this to go on, ever. This is an attack on all Americans," Bloomberg said.

Strange. Disjointed. And cryptic.......or maybe just stupid.
9 posted on 07/23/2003 1:33:33 PM PDT by macamadamia
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To: Austin Willard Wright
It's not PC to mention skin color here in Santa Monica - you can only mention the color of the criminals clothes or hair
10 posted on 07/23/2003 1:33:37 PM PDT by Republicus2001
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To: RedBloodedAmerican
Bloomberg said. "Obviously, there was a breakdown someplace."

This gets my vote for this week's "keen sense of the obvious" award.

Click the Gadsden flag for pro-gun resources!

11 posted on 07/23/2003 1:34:18 PM PDT by Joe Brower ("What is a left-wing socialist but a Marxist without a gun?" -- Don Feder)
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To: The_Victor
Oops should have been formated like this:

already posted here.

Sorry, the original title (when I read the start of the thread) didn't include the news of the City Councilman's death.

12 posted on 07/23/2003 1:34:57 PM PDT by The_Victor
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To: Joe Brower
Is there an annual "Yogi Berra" award given out?
13 posted on 07/23/2003 1:35:05 PM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: The_Victor
actually the other thread is so large it's easier to read it anew... But Hannity/Slywa are reportting a second person has been shot and killed.
14 posted on 07/23/2003 1:35:13 PM PDT by bedolido (please let my post be on an even number... small even/odd phobia here)
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To: The_Victor
He was elected in 2001, and was a minister.

A "minister" like Jesse Jackasson or a real minister.

15 posted on 07/23/2003 1:37:08 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Even if the government took all your earnings, you wouldn’t be, in its eyes, a slave.)
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To: The_Victor
How is this possible? I thought that guns were illegal in New York City. I guess the bad guys didn't get the word.
16 posted on 07/23/2003 1:37:52 PM PDT by Desron13
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To: bedolido
bump
17 posted on 07/23/2003 1:38:16 PM PDT by MEG33
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To: Austin Willard Wright
Man in a blue suit? Is that all they have?

A man in a blue suit in lower Manhattan. That should narrow it down.

18 posted on 07/23/2003 1:38:54 PM PDT by Francisco
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To: The_Victor
This is an attack on all Americans," Bloomberg said.

For everyone who is concerned about my safety...I survived the attack! Not a scratch on me...

19 posted on 07/23/2003 1:39:28 PM PDT by Onelifetogive
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To: Sloth
I know. Jeeesh this guy's a real genius!
20 posted on 07/23/2003 1:40:14 PM PDT by Desron13
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