One person is dead and another is in critical condition after a gunman entered a East Garden City office Wednesday and shot two people, Nassau County police said.
At a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, Nassau Police Chief Steven Skrynecki said that at 10:11 a.m. Wednesday, Sang Ho Kim allegedly entered Savenergy, an importer of light fixtures located at 645 South Street, and shot the company’s owner and another employee.
Kim allegedly drove away in a white Honda Pilot with the license plate No. FMA-3648, which Skrynecki said had been released to the public early in the ensuing investigation.
“At this time, we believe the individual is armed and very dangerous,” Skrynecki said.
At press time, one of the two victims had died from injuries sustained in the shooting, while the other was still in surgery, Skrynecki said. The identities of the victims were not released.
Nassau Executive Edward Mangano said at the briefing that he had spoken with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who offered support in the statewide search for Kim. Mangano said police from Nassau, Suffolk and New York City, in addition to Roosevelt Field Mall security, were aiding state and FBI officers in the investigation.
Skrynecki said police believe Kim targeted the victims as a result of a bad business relationship. Kim was described as a vendor for the company, but not necessarily an employee.
Skrynecki said police are still investigating Kim’s relationship with Savenergy.
“This was motivated by his relationship with this business and the people he’s attacked, and to that extent I think the public can rest a bit easier,” Skrynecki said. “This does not appear to have been a random shooter who was randomly shooting people.”
Early reports described the shooter as a 63-year-old Asian man between 6’0”-6’2” and wearing a brown or gray jacket.
Skrynecki said the investigation is “very active,” adding that officers performed a building-by-building search of the immediate area and are still reviewing surveillance video of the area. Skrynecki declined to comment on whether police had yet recovered a weapon.
Early reports said the shooter in the direction of Roosevelt Field Mall, which is located near the site of the shooting.
Following the shooting, Nassau police formed a perimeter around the mall and ordered people inside, Skrynecki said. At press time, the mall was still in lockdown but people were permitted to leave after being screened by police.
Skrynecki said area schools had also gone on lockdown, but there was nothing to suggest they could not operate on a normal schedule.
