CNY'ers react to NYC Shooting in front of Empire State Building

Chaos and confusion on the streets of New York City broke out as gunfire erupted, killing two people, and injuring nine.

Now officials are trying to piece together exactly what happened. Police have identified the shooter as 58-year-old Jeffery Johnson.

Officials say during an argument with one of Johnson's former co-workers of Hazan Imports, he fired at close range striking the victim in the head.

Johnson had worked as a women's accessories designer for Hazan Imports, but was laid off last year.

NYPD killed the suspected shooter, but not before police say he shot several bystanders, killing one. They say nine other people were wounded during the gun battle between police and Johnson. And officials say some might have been accidently shot by police officers who responded immediately.

The injured bystanders have been sent to 2 separate hospitals in New York and are expected to make full recoveries.

Here at home, we are getting a lot of reaction from Central New Yorkers regarding this horrific crime.

Many people Eyewitness News spoke with say they're shocked to hear about another high profile shooting in our country.

Eyewitness News also spoke with the Utica Police and how they're trained to handle scenarios like the one in New York City.

"I was surprised to see something like this happen again in a public place," says Vince Oliverio, an Ellicottville resident.

"I am a little antsy because I'm not used to New York. I'm told there's stuff like this all the time here but it's something to worry about," says Diane Drewry, a Texas resident and student at Utica College.

2 are dead and at least nine people are injured in the New York City shooting outside the Empire State Building Friday morning.

But, people are still wrapping their heads around the most recent shooting at a Sikh Temple in Wisconsin, killing seven people, including the shooter and wounding four others.

Less than a month before that, 12 people were killed and dozens injured in the Colorado movie theatre shooting.

"It took the excitement going to the movie out," says Oliverio.

"I rather rent the movie or go to a drive in movie," says Dominic Formicola of Rochester.

And although Friday's shooting in NYC happened a couple hundred miles away from Central New York, area residents say they worry about their safety.

"I'm scared for them or her when their driving. I worry about them," Formicola.

"I think it's on the back of people's minds. It's on the back of my minds when I go into places," says Oliverio.

The Utica Police says law enforcement cannot ever prepare for scenarios like the one in New York City and Colorado.

But, officials say high-profile incidents can help other police departments across the country learn from them.

"Most officers you look at that you do your training and you hope that when the situation does come into play if it ever comes into your career you take that and you follow with it and you hope it keeps you safe and keeps others safe," says Sgt. Steve Hauck.

And to put that into perspective, Sgt. Hauck of the UPD says many law enforcement agencies changed the way they train in active shooting scenarios after the columbine shooting.