Eyewitnesses: Binghamton shootings

Police led hostages to safety from the immigration centre

A gunman has opened fire on immigrants taking citizenship classes and staff at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, New York state, killing at least 13 people and injuring several others before apparently killing himself.

Witnesses to the events have described what they saw.

ZHANAR TOKHTABAYEVA

I heard the shots, every shot. I heard no screams, just silence, shooting. I heard shooting, very long time... and I was thinking, when will this stop?

I was thinking that my life was finished.

THAN HUYNH

Some people hide in closets, some people under table - everywhere you can hide.

They told me they tried to be quiet and run away.

LESLIE SHRAGER

One of our housemates thought they heard banging of some kind. But when you're living in downtown Binghamton, it's always noisy.

Literally two minutes later the cops came and got us out.

NICK MASUCCI

They look like immigrants, lots of different cultures coming out of there. Some people are getting patted down.

The police are taking a lot of precautions, they're still taking cover.