Gunman, guard dead in shooting at NYC federal building

Show Caption Hide Caption Police: Man shoots guard, self at NYC building A man walked into a federal building in Manhattan late Friday afternoon and opened fire, wounding a security guard, before turning the gun on himself, police said. (Aug. 21)

NEW YORK - Two people died in a shooting incident that erupted Friday evening inside a federal building in lower Manhattan, authorities said.

A gunman approached the screening area of the building at 201 Varick Street around 5:05 p.m. and shot a security guard at close range with a handgun, said James O'Neill, chief of department of the New York City Police Department.

The gunman then walked down a hallway to an elevator bank and fatally shot himself in the head, O'Neill said during a news briefing near the scene.

The security guard, identified by O'Neill as Idrissa Camara, 53, was rushed by ambulance to the nearby Lenox Health Greenwich Village facility in cardiac arrest, the city fire department said. Doctors declared him dead on arrival, said Betty Olt, a spokeswoman for the free-standing emergency department. Officials said they did not know where Camara lived or his family situation.

O'Neill identified the alleged shooter as Kevin Downing, 68, a veteran and former employee with the Bureau of Labor Statistics who lived in Fort Lee, N.J., a community just on the other side of the George Washington Bridge that connects Manhattan and New Jersey. Officials said they do not know if Downing ever worked at the office in the Varick Street building or at some other location.

There was no immediate confirmation on a potential motive for the shooting, he said.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told reporters outside of the building Friday night that he hoped to have the chance to express condolences to Camara's family. He visited with federal employees inside the building to offer support, he said.

"It's obviously a tragedy when anyone is killed like this in the line of duty," Johnson said.

Athena Lemakis said she was at her office located in the next block at 225 Varick St. when an announcement came over the company loudspeaker from the building's fire command, she said.

"I literally wasn't paying attention until they said, 'It's safer to stay inside than to go outside,'" said Lemakis, 45, of Manhattan, as she stood outside yellow police tape with other curious onlookers.

Lemakis said she and co-workers rushed to the window to see what was happening, and eventually made their way outside.

The 32BJ Service Employees International Union expressed sadness at Camara's death. The union represents property service workers.

"We are shocked and horrified at this terrible news and send our deepest condolences to Protective Security Officer Idrissa Camara's family," the union said in a statement published on Facebook. "Security officers around the city and country serve on the front line each and every day to keep us safe and secure. We are heartbroken that one of our own has fallen. We hope some of our questions in the face of this terrible tragedy will be answered. For now, we are keeping Officer Camara's family and loved ones in our thoughts and prayers."

Police and other official vehicles filled the street in front of the shooting site in the far west area of Greenwich Village. Emergency officials detoured evening rush hour traffic from the area.

The Varick Street building houses a U.S. immigration court, a post office, government detention and a Veteran's Health Administration facility, along with a few private businesses.