In a horrific scene that occurred around 9 a.m. on Friday amidst crowded streets, nine individuals had been shot during a gunfight between the alleged Empire State shooter Jeffrey Johnson and the police.

Mayor Bloomberg had stated that some of those injured could have been hit by bullets accidentally due to the crossfire.

A videotape surveillance camera "clearly shows the guy had the gun out and was trying to shoot the police officers. It happened very quickly . . . Thank God no one else was seriously injured," said Bloomberg.

NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly had stated that the cops were roughly 5 feet away from Johnson, 58, when he pulled out his .45-caliber handgun and aimed it at two responding police officers. He explained that 14 shots were fired by the police and 3 by the suspect.

Johnson was allegedly a disgruntled former worker at Hazan Imports, a women's accessory designer at 10 W. 33rd St., where he was terminated about a year prior. Before being fatally shot by police, the shooter had killed Steven Ercolino, who was the vice president of the company.

Frank Ercolino, the father of the late 41-year-old, had the following to say, according to Newsday:

"My son was a loving son, and he will be missed," stated Frank Ercolino of Warwick, N.Y.

Paul Ercolino, the victim's brother, said that he had recently gone on a vacation to Mexico with his girlfriend, according to the publication.

"He was a great uncle to my son, Vincent, and my daughter, Sophia. He was godfather to my son. He would do anything for anybody. He had a zest for life," he said.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of the victim.

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