The gunman is hiding out in an abandoned building in Herkimer

Mar 14, 2013 07:39 GMT  ·  By

Two people have been injured and four others have died as a man went on a shooting spree on Wednesday in upstate NY.

The gunman from Mokawk has opened fire in his home town as well as nearby Herkimer, using a shotgun. According to the Utica Observer-Dispatch, the suspect identified as 64-year-old Kurt Myers had no inherent motive, except for rage.

In a "totally unprovoked" attack, he killed two people in Mokawk and injured other two, after an argument inside John's Barbershop. Two other victims were fatally shot as he continued his spree at Gaffey's Fast Lube in Herkimer.

"There's no apparent motive to the best of our knowledge at this time to provoke these attacks," Gov. Andrew Cuomo describes.

The suspect was acquainted with at least one of the victims at the barber shop. Owner John Seymour survived the attack but has incurred life-threatening wounds.

"He just said that the guys were in the barbershop and this guy comes in and he says, 'Hi John, do you remember me?' and my brother said, 'Yes, Kurt, how are you?' and then he just started shooting," his sister Mary Hornett describes.

At the moment, police are at a standoff with Myers, who is hiding out in an abandoned building in Herkimer. The facility is located above the Glory Days bar at 248 N. Main St. and has been used as a hotel in the past.

"The snipers on the roof are sitting there. [...] I ain't seen a whole lot of movement. I heard about five gunshots. I keep hearing them trying to talk him out, but I don't think he's coming out," resident Myles Smith tells the Daily Mail.

State police Superintendent Joseph D'Amico clarifies that they are not in contact with the suspect, who is not answering his cellphone, and do not know if he is still alive at this point. Myers's only prior arrest has been for a DWI in 1973.

Witnesses have also heard a loud bang coming from the building at approximately 1:30 a.m., and it was accompanied by the sound of sirens.