4.03.2009

updated: binghamton shooter identified as jiverly wong

UPDATE: The New York Times has now identified the alleged shooter as Jiverly Wong, who used the alias Jiverly Voong, according to law-enforcement officials: Shooting in Binghamton, N.Y. Here's the updated story: 14 Dead in Rampage in Binghamton, N.Y.

Wong had a pistol license that listed two pistols, a 45-caliber Beretta and a 9-mm Beretta. The authorities matched the serial numbers of two guns found with the gunman’s body to the serial numbers on his license. The authorities were trying to trace the guns to determine where Wong obtained them and their history.

* * *

Some more into on the shooting rampage in Binghamton: At Least 12 Slain in Binghamton, N.Y. The shooter has been identified as 42-year-old Jiverly Voong of nearby Johnson City, New York. He had apparently recently been let go of his job at IBM: At least 12 killed at immigration center in NY.

He apparently entered the immigration services building at around 10:00am and just started shooting, killing at least 12 people and holding dozens of people hostage for several hours before shooting himself in the head: Binghamton Rampage Leaves 13 Dead, Shooter's Sister Stunned.

I'm sure in the coming days we're going to hear more about Voong and speculation about what drove him to do this. Prepare thyself for the coming onslaught of commentators and pundits comparing this guy to Virginia Tech shooter Seung-hui Cho, and wondering what's up with all these Asian psycho shooters. My sympathy goes out to all the victims and their families... I don't even know what to say.

angry archive