Read the full story and developments in the investigation on CNN.com. For local coverage, visit WPIX, WCBS and NY1.
Scroll down to catch up on the events as they unfolded.
[Updated at 3:19 p.m. ET] Two patients who were brought to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Friday have been discharged and one has been admitted, the hospital's public affairs office said in a statement.
The three people were brought to New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center Emergency Department as a result of a shooting outside the Empire State building shortly after 9 a.m., the hospital said.
Other victims were brought to Bellevue Hospital after the shooting, which police said left eight wounded and two dead, including the gunman.
Police initially said nine bystanders were wounded in an exchange of gunfire between shooter Jeffrey Johnson and police. That number was later revised to eight.
Police killed Johnson as he pulled a gun on them while trying to flee the scene where he fatally shot a former coworker, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
The gunman apparently had a longstanding dispute with the victim over workplace harassment allegations, police said. Both men had filed prior complaints.
[Updated at 12:16 a.m. ET] New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised police and civilians for their quick response to a shooting outside the Empire State Building on Friday morning, which left two dead and nine injured.
"There is no doubt that the situation would've been even more tragic except for the extraordinary acts of heroism," Bloomberg said in a media conference. "New York City is the safest big city in this country but we are not immune to the national problem of gun violence."
Gunman Jeffrey Johnson, 53, killed one person before he was shot to death outside the busy tourist destination on 34th Street and Fifth Avenue in a chaotic scene just after 9 a.m., Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said. In addition to being home to a popular tourist destination in Midtown Manhattan, the area is also a busy commercial district.
"I saw people running and I didn't know what happened. I thought it was a celebrity spotting," said witness Rebecca Fox, who was on her way to work when the shootings broke out. "It was a very surreal scene."
Fast Facts: The Empire State Building
The victim was Johnson's former coworker at Hazan Imports, where Johnson was a designer of women's accessories until being laid off last year.
As Johnson attempted to flee the scene, a construction worker across the street alerted two police officers, who pursued him up West 33rd Street, Kelly said. As Johnson pulled out a .45 caliber pistol, the officers opened fire, killing Johnson. It was unclear if Johnson managed to shoot a round.
Nine others were wounded or grazed in the exchange of gunfire, Kelly said. They were taken to local hospitals where they are expected to recover.
"Some may have been accidentally shot by police officers," Kelly said.
Photos and messages from Twitter and other digital platforms that appear to be related to the shooting outside the Empire State Building are being collected by CNN.com social media producer Dorrine Mendoza on this Storify page. CNN editors are working to verify this information and will be updating throughout the day.
[Updated at 11:26 a.m. ET] A gunman fatally shot a former coworker in the head outside the Empire State Building Friday morning before he was killed by police officers, New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
The suspect, 53-year-old Jeffrey Johnson, was a "disgruntled former employee" of a business near the Empire State Building, Kelly said. As he tried to flee the scene, a construction worker alerted two police officers, who pursued him down 33rd Street, Kelly said.
Johnson pulled a .45 caliber gun on the approaching police officers but it not clear if he actually shot any rounds as police opened fire on him, Kelly said.
Nine people were wounded or grazed in the crossfire, Kelly said.
"Some may have been accidentally shot by police officers," Kelly said.
[Updated at 11:08 a.m. ET] The Empire State Building is fully operational after ten people were shot outside the popular tourist destination this morning, leaving at least two dead.
Building representatives released a statement saying the New York Police Department is concluding its investigation that occurred shortly after 9 a.m.
[Updated at 11:08 a.m. ET] New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to speak soon after a shooting outside the Empire State Building Friday morning left at least two dead, including the suspected gunman.
A witnessed said they saw a shooter with a "large gun"
[Updated at 10:40 a.m. ET] New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to speak at 11 a.m. after a shooting outside the Empire State Building Friday morning left at least two dead, including the suspected gunman.
Watch the news conference live on CNN TV, on CNN.com or on your CNN mobile app.
• There is no apparent link to terrorism, a law enforcement official said.
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• Police shot the suspect, whose body is still lying outside the building covered in a sheet, witnesses said.
• A woman was also killed in the shooting, which occurred as people were lining up to gain entry to the busy tourist destination on 34 Street and Fifth Avenue.
• An elevator worker from inside the Empire State Building ran outside and began chasing the alleged shooter, CNN producer Rose Arce said. At some point police, who were apparently inside the building, were alerted and chased and the alleged shooter.
• Photos and messages from Twitter and other digital platforms that appear to be related to the shooting outside the Empire State Building are being collected by CNN.com social media producer Dorrine Mendoza on this Storify page. CNN editors are working to verify this information and will be updating throughout the day.
[Updated at 10:33 a.m. ET] The body of the alleged shooter is lying outside the entrance to the Empire State Building after a shooting broke out Friday morning, leaving at least two dead, New York City officials said.
A woman was also killed in the shooting, which occurred as people were lining up to gain entry to the busy tourist destination.
An elevator worker from inside the Empire State Building ran outside and began chasing the alleged shooter, CNN producer Rose Arce said. At some point police, who were apparently inside the building, were alerted and chased and the alleged shooter.
Arce talked to several international tourists who were standing around. "They were completely stunned by what happened and were screaming," Arce reports.
[Updated at 10:17 a.m. ET] Ten people were shot outside the Empire State Building, leaving two dead, including the gunman, New York City officials said.
A witness told CNN she saw a man lying in the middle of the street surrounded by police.
"I saw blood on the sidewalk," Rebecca Fox said. "It was a very surreal scene."
[Updated at 10:09 a.m. ET] A suspect started shooting outside the Empire State Building this morning, killing at least one person, New York city officials say.
The suspect had a "large gun," a witness told CNN.
[Updated at 9:55 a.m. ET] - At least 10 people were shot Friday in front of the Empire State Building in New York Friday morning, the New York Office of Emergency Management said.
A suspect in the shooting was shot and killed by police, New York police said.
Authorities converged on the building around 9 a.m. after reports of gunfire.
A witness told CNN's Rose Arce that the gunman ran after and shot a man in the head. An unarmed guard chased the gunman away, the witness told Arce.
Police have closed several several streets around 5th Avenue and 34th Street in Manhattan.
New York resident Max Kaplan, 22, said he heard at least nine gunshots. He said several ambulances have arrived at the scene.
"We're all very shaken up at the office," he said.
The Empire State Building is one of the most famous skyscrapers in the world, and one of New York City's best-known tourist attractions.
Each year, about 4 million people visit the building's two observation decks. At more than 1,453 feet tall, the landmark building reaches more than a quarter-mile into the sky.
Oh! The government will make him an Iranian for sure.
Unfortunately, I could totally see this happening to serve Israels Agenda
We have pretty strict gun laws here in Canada, handguns are illegal. That does not mean that they arn't around. A few weeks ago a nutjob was shot in broad day and killed. So even though gun controll here is tight you can still get a gun. I think Americas gun violence has to do with population and the moraless society that has befallen the US...It's like rats in a cage, when there are too many they will destroy each other.
A rather bigoted comment from you I think. The typical smug comment that we expect from Canadians.
Is that why more than 70% of prisoners are black? Oh, that's right, they didn't commit any crimes; they are just discriminated against..... Could you just go to Canada to exercise Canada's so-called "free speech"? Then you will know what real liberty is and it can only be defended with the Second Amendment. Progressive Americans are so stupid. No wonder your country is goind down the drain.....
You are the worst kind of person.
Any form of extremism is bad, be it left-wing, right-wing, Islam, or whatever.
Funny how right wing extremism so often involves guns. My only question is why can't they learn to shoot each other, and get rid of two at a time?
Do you people ever shut up and keep your own opinions to yourself, cause nobody cares what you have to say.
Yeah, that goes for you too Keith.
Oh, the irony o fyour of your comment.
A little testy Dennis? I'm just outside the cage looking in and it is what I see. No reason to get your panties in a wad.
New York, New Y-errrk. . .. .
Yet another mass shooting brought to you by...
The NRA – Made in China Since the 9th Century CE!
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"Happiness is a warm gun. Bang, bang. Shoot, shoot." – The Beatles, 1968
Ok so it isn't connected to terrorism. People are going nuts every week. That's better?
It's a real shame that these random shootings seem to be happening more often. And congrats to NYPD for killing the shooter. It's about time the authorities take back their authority by discouraging further shootings. By killing the "suspect", how much money is saved by not paying for anothr incarcertion in NY? I don't know that but also how many more lives will be saved in the future? You can talk about NRA all you want, but they can get guns online or on the street. It's clear to me that these criminals aren't worried abut the consequences. Why should they be? Three meals a day, a roof over their head, a bed to sleep on, education, and then they come up for parole? Huh? Ummm, when is the crime so heinous that they aren't qualified for parole? I say take all death row criminals and shoot them by a firing squad of the victim's family/friends and they can start with Charles Manson!!
Judy why charlie? He didnt commite the murders no more than the people who started a false war in iraq and killed thousands of innocent woman. And children do you want those people killed also?
I know the gun nuts are going to take up every comment space on here they can to preach their hatred for this politician or that city. But, there is one cold, hard, fact. God Bless the NYPD! They killed one of your fellow gun nuts this morning.
and it goes on.
Donnie the Lion – I would not blame them for not being armed, only the politicians that keep them from being armed. If you choose not to arm yourself that is OK, I do not want you armed if you are not comfortable with guns, I am, and would carry in NYC if it was legal, but it is not. That is why I live in Texas, not saying the same thing would not happen, but the criminals here do not know who is carrying and who is not, except where you cannot carry.
The last thing law enforcement needs in this situation or any similar situation is armed civilians with delusions of grandeur playing with guns. That little fantasy, perpetuated by the National Rifle Association, keeps the gun crazies happy, however, and provides them with another vacuous argument to promote in favor of carrying handguns. The fact is, there is no good reason to carry a handgun or to even own one.
What does that brilliant remark mean?
When will the press start being honest about the topic.
Gun control? England has a higher per capita violence rate than the US. Look at the actual violence statistics of england. They are the most violent in the EU and people are oT allowed to have guns.
The only thing that would happen is honest peop,e wou,d turn in guns. There would be no fewer lunatic attacks, no less shooting by the guns and drugs crowd. Your kidding yourself. They would just get them mailed and shipped from overseas.
You can't stop this anymore than you can stop wars or will ever stop glorifying violence by Hollywood and some cultures music.
England's gun murder rate is 30x LOWER than the U.S.
Just another big lie, comparing England and the US. You gun fanatics wouldn't know the truth if it slapped you in the face, and then you would probably try and shoot it.