In New York, police shot a man who opened fire on the sidelines of a Christmas concert. The man had shot around in front of the St. John the Divine Cathedral in Manhattan on Sunday, but did not injure anyone, as the local police chief Dermot Shea announced. Three police officers then fired at the man at least 15 times, at least one bullet hit him in the head.
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A choir had sung Christmas carols in front of the cathedral. Several hundred people attended the concert. A journalist from the AFP news agency who was present said the man suddenly shot around on the church steps as the crowd began to break up after the concert. “I just ran for my life,” said the reporter.
Gas cans, rope, wire, weapons
According to a photographer from Reuters news agency, about 15 people were still in the immediate vicinity of the perpetrator when he began to shoot. He is said to have shouted “Shoot me” and “Kill me”.
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Shortly after the choir had appeared, the man had made his way past the singers to the church doors, as Police Chief Shea said. From there he fired two semi-automatic weapons. It was “the grace of God” that no one was hit except for the attacker. A witness said the man fired eight to ten shots before he was shot himself.
The exact background of the incident is so far unclear. The attacker is known to the police for numerous offenses, Shea said. After the incident, the emergency services found a bag that presumably also belonged to the attacker. Inside, according to Shea, was a full gas can, a Bible, several knives, and wire and rope. The police will now evaluate video recordings and continue to investigate.
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