At least twelve people have reportedly been shot dead and up to 40 taken hostage after a shootout at American Civic Association building in Binghamton in the New York State.

According to report, the suspect, a man in his 30s wearing bright green jacket, entered the building and started shooting with a rifle.

This man is still believed to be inside building.

Nearby apartments in this city in western New York state were being evacuated. The condition of those shot wasn’t immediately clear.

A man went into a building and started shooting, according to police scanner traffic reported by WBNG-TV. The gunman had a high-powered rifle, New York Mayor Matthew Ryan told media.

When the shooting started, people escaped to the basement in search of safety. More than a dozen people were hiding in a closet for more than an hour.

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