2012 Empire State Building Shooting
Workplace Shooting Incident
CLASSIFICATION: Murder
LOCATION
New York City, United States
TIME PERIOD
August 24, 2012
VICTIMS
2 confirmed
On August 24, 2012, at approximately 9:03 a.m. EDT, a shooting occurred outside the Empire State Building in New York City, where 58-year-old Jeffrey T. Johnson fatally shot his former co-worker, 41-year-old Steven Ercolino, multiple times following a brief confrontation. After the shooting, Johnson attempted to flee but was confronted by responding NYPD officers who, upon seeing him raise his weapon, discharged a total of 16 rounds, resulting in Johnson's death and injuring nine bystanders due to stray bullets and ricochets, none of whom sustained life-threatening injuries. The incident unfolded at the 33rd Street side of the building and was resolved within minutes, with Johnson being the sole perpetrator. Investigative findings confirmed the use of a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun in the attack, and the incident was classified as a workplace-related shooting stemming from a prior employment dispute.
Investigators and the public speculate that the shooting stemmed from a personal grievance between Jeffrey T. Johnson and his former co-worker, which was fueled by Johnson's recent job loss. There are also concerns regarding the police response, as many believe the officers' gunfire, which injured nine bystanders, highlights issues with law enforcement protocols in active shooter situations. Some theorize that had the police not engaged so quickly, the situation might have resulted in fewer injuries.
The 2012 Empire State Building Shooting: A Day of Chaos in New York City
The Grim Morning
The morning of August 24, 2012, dawned like any other in New York City, bustling with the typical weekday crowds. But by 9:03 a.m., the area around the Empire State Building, one of the city's most iconic landmarks, would become the scene of a tragic and chaotic shooting. Jeffrey T. Johnson, a 58-year-old clothing designer, had lost his job a year earlier. On this day, he stepped from behind a van on the 33rd Street side of the building, pointed a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun at a former colleague, and pulled the trigger. The victim, 41-year-old Steven Ercolino, fell as Johnson fired four more rounds, ending the life of the salesman who lived with his girlfriend in Union City, New Jersey.
The Frantic Aftermath
As pedestrians screamed and scattered, Johnson calmly placed the weapon in a briefcase and attempted to blend into the frantic crowd. A construction worker, witnessing the horrifying event, followed Johnson and alerted police officers stationed at the Fifth Avenue entrance of the Empire State Building. When confronted, Johnson raised his weapon but did not fire. The officers, Craig Matthews and Robert Sinishtaj, responded with 16 rounds, ultimately killing Johnson. Tragically, nine bystanders were injured during the exchange, none fatally, with injuries ranging from direct hits by police bullets to wounds from ricocheting fragments and debris.
Victims of Circumstance
The victims, five women and four men aged 20 to 43, found themselves unintended casualties of the officers' gunfire. They were rushed to Bellevue Hospital Center and NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. By the evening, six had been treated and released. The victims were mostly from New York City, except for one woman from Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Behind the Shooter's Motive
Jeffrey T. Johnson's story was one of professional decline and personal despair. Born in Japan in 1953 to a Japanese mother and an American father, Johnson moved to the United States at just 10 months old. Raised in Gainesville, Georgia, he later attended the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida, and served in the United States Coast Guard from 1973 to 1977. After being laid off from his job at Hazan Imports due to downsizing, Johnson's financial troubles mounted. Police sources indicated that his eviction notice might have been the final straw, driving him to violence against Ercolino, whom he held responsible for his woes.
Johnson was known to be a quiet, polite man, living alone in a walk-up apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side. He had no criminal record or history of psychiatric problems. The gun used in the shooting was legally purchased in Florida in 1991, though he lacked a license to carry it in New York City. Despite his reclusive nature, Johnson was part of a community of birdwatchers, capturing images of hawks in Central Park that often appeared on local blogs.
The Victim's Life
Steven Ercolino was described as a gregarious, outgoing family man. A 1992 graduate of the State University of New York at Oneonta, he was a vice president at Hazan Imports. Despite his friendly demeanor, tensions with Johnson had simmered. They had filed harassment complaints against each other, and Johnson had previously threatened Ercolino's life. Their animosity stemmed partly from disputes over Johnson's T-shirt line, which Ercolino did not promote. Tensions had even escalated into physical confrontations, including a reported incident in an elevator where Johnson allegedly threatened to kill Ercolino.
The City's Response
In the wake of the shooting, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly addressed the public, acknowledging that police gunfire had wounded civilians. The New York Police Department released surveillance footage capturing the confrontation, showing Johnson raising his weapon before being shot by officers. An Australian tourist's video also provided a street-level view of the chaos, capturing bystanders fleeing and officers with weapons drawn.
Five years later, the effects of that fateful day lingered for the victims, with some pursuing legal action against the NYPD. The events of August 24, 2012, remain a stark reminder of the unpredictability of violence and its far-reaching consequences.
Sources
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Shooting Incident
Jeffrey T. Johnson shoots and kills Steven Ercolino outside the Empire State Building.
Gunman Shot by Police
Police officers fatally shoot Jeffrey T. Johnson after he raises his weapon at them.
Bystanders Injured
Nine bystanders are injured by stray bullets fired by police during the incident.
Victim Identified
Steven Ercolino, the victim, is identified as a vice president at Hazan Imports.
Police Investigation
NYPD confirms that all injuries to bystanders were caused by police gunfire.
Background Revealed
Reports emerge detailing the history of harassment complaints between Johnson and Ercolino.
Victims' Lawsuit
Several victims begin legal action against the NYPD for the shooting incident.
On August 24, 2012, at approximately 9:03 a.m. EDT, a shooting occurred outside the Empire State Building in New York City, where 58-year-old Jeffrey T. Johnson fatally shot his former co-worker, 41-year-old Steven Ercolino, multiple times following a brief confrontation. After the shooting, Johnson attempted to flee but was confronted by responding NYPD officers who, upon seeing him raise his weapon, discharged a total of 16 rounds, resulting in Johnson's death and injuring nine bystanders due to stray bullets and ricochets, none of whom sustained life-threatening injuries. The incident unfolded at the 33rd Street side of the building and was resolved within minutes, with Johnson being the sole perpetrator. Investigative findings confirmed the use of a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun in the attack, and the incident was classified as a workplace-related shooting stemming from a prior employment dispute.
Investigators and the public speculate that the shooting stemmed from a personal grievance between Jeffrey T. Johnson and his former co-worker, which was fueled by Johnson's recent job loss. There are also concerns regarding the police response, as many believe the officers' gunfire, which injured nine bystanders, highlights issues with law enforcement protocols in active shooter situations. Some theorize that had the police not engaged so quickly, the situation might have resulted in fewer injuries.
The 2012 Empire State Building Shooting: A Day of Chaos in New York City
The Grim Morning
The morning of August 24, 2012, dawned like any other in New York City, bustling with the typical weekday crowds. But by 9:03 a.m., the area around the Empire State Building, one of the city's most iconic landmarks, would become the scene of a tragic and chaotic shooting. Jeffrey T. Johnson, a 58-year-old clothing designer, had lost his job a year earlier. On this day, he stepped from behind a van on the 33rd Street side of the building, pointed a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun at a former colleague, and pulled the trigger. The victim, 41-year-old Steven Ercolino, fell as Johnson fired four more rounds, ending the life of the salesman who lived with his girlfriend in Union City, New Jersey.
The Frantic Aftermath
As pedestrians screamed and scattered, Johnson calmly placed the weapon in a briefcase and attempted to blend into the frantic crowd. A construction worker, witnessing the horrifying event, followed Johnson and alerted police officers stationed at the Fifth Avenue entrance of the Empire State Building. When confronted, Johnson raised his weapon but did not fire. The officers, Craig Matthews and Robert Sinishtaj, responded with 16 rounds, ultimately killing Johnson. Tragically, nine bystanders were injured during the exchange, none fatally, with injuries ranging from direct hits by police bullets to wounds from ricocheting fragments and debris.
Victims of Circumstance
The victims, five women and four men aged 20 to 43, found themselves unintended casualties of the officers' gunfire. They were rushed to Bellevue Hospital Center and NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. By the evening, six had been treated and released. The victims were mostly from New York City, except for one woman from Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Behind the Shooter's Motive
Jeffrey T. Johnson's story was one of professional decline and personal despair. Born in Japan in 1953 to a Japanese mother and an American father, Johnson moved to the United States at just 10 months old. Raised in Gainesville, Georgia, he later attended the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida, and served in the United States Coast Guard from 1973 to 1977. After being laid off from his job at Hazan Imports due to downsizing, Johnson's financial troubles mounted. Police sources indicated that his eviction notice might have been the final straw, driving him to violence against Ercolino, whom he held responsible for his woes.
Johnson was known to be a quiet, polite man, living alone in a walk-up apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side. He had no criminal record or history of psychiatric problems. The gun used in the shooting was legally purchased in Florida in 1991, though he lacked a license to carry it in New York City. Despite his reclusive nature, Johnson was part of a community of birdwatchers, capturing images of hawks in Central Park that often appeared on local blogs.
The Victim's Life
Steven Ercolino was described as a gregarious, outgoing family man. A 1992 graduate of the State University of New York at Oneonta, he was a vice president at Hazan Imports. Despite his friendly demeanor, tensions with Johnson had simmered. They had filed harassment complaints against each other, and Johnson had previously threatened Ercolino's life. Their animosity stemmed partly from disputes over Johnson's T-shirt line, which Ercolino did not promote. Tensions had even escalated into physical confrontations, including a reported incident in an elevator where Johnson allegedly threatened to kill Ercolino.
The City's Response
In the wake of the shooting, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly addressed the public, acknowledging that police gunfire had wounded civilians. The New York Police Department released surveillance footage capturing the confrontation, showing Johnson raising his weapon before being shot by officers. An Australian tourist's video also provided a street-level view of the chaos, capturing bystanders fleeing and officers with weapons drawn.
Five years later, the effects of that fateful day lingered for the victims, with some pursuing legal action against the NYPD. The events of August 24, 2012, remain a stark reminder of the unpredictability of violence and its far-reaching consequences.
Sources
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Shooting Incident
Jeffrey T. Johnson shoots and kills Steven Ercolino outside the Empire State Building.
Gunman Shot by Police
Police officers fatally shoot Jeffrey T. Johnson after he raises his weapon at them.
Bystanders Injured
Nine bystanders are injured by stray bullets fired by police during the incident.
Victim Identified
Steven Ercolino, the victim, is identified as a vice president at Hazan Imports.
Police Investigation
NYPD confirms that all injuries to bystanders were caused by police gunfire.
Background Revealed
Reports emerge detailing the history of harassment complaints between Johnson and Ercolino.
Victims' Lawsuit
Several victims begin legal action against the NYPD for the shooting incident.