Several hostages described Mr. Tortorici as agitated when he talked to the police negotiators, using a microphone in the lectern to amplify his voice. But at other times he was calm and even lighthearted with the students, offering them cigarettes, demanding that the police bring them snack food and sodas and designating a corner of the room as a latrine.

"He walked by and looked at one of my books and said: 'Greek? Why do you want to take that?' " Mr. Urban said.

Throughout the standoff, Mr. Tortorici eyed Mr. McEnaney nervously, several times warning him to stand still. "He kept telling Jason, 'You better quit moving around or I'm going to shoot you in the head,' " Mr. Gushlaw said. "That's why Jason went after him, because he knew his life was in danger, there's no doubt about it."

The end came around 11:30 A.M., when Mr. Tortorici ordered Mr. McEnaney to separate from two other students and stand near the front of the room behind a makeshift barricade. As Mr. McEnaney passed the gunman he grabbed his rifle, witnesses and the police said. Mr. Tortorici fired several shots, at least one of which hit Mr. McEnaney, before losing his grip on the weapon, which tumbled to the floor.

As Mr. McEnaney scrambled away, Mr. Tortorici retreated toward the back of the room, reaching for a hunting knife that had been concealed in his belt. But before he could draw it, a student kicked him in the face and another pushed him into a wall. Three others helped hold him down as scores of heavily armed police officers poured into the room.

Mr. Tortorici's right hand was cut in the scuffle and he also received bruises to his chest, face and hands. He was admitted to Albany Medical Center for treatment to his hand this evening.

Little was known about Mr. Tortorici tonight. Several hostages said he said he was in the military reserves, but the police could not confirm that. University officials said he entered the college in 1990 and had enough credits to be a senior. They said they had no record of any conflicts involving him and the university.