Gunman opens fire on New York hospital, killing doctor

New York : A man opened fire in a busy New York hospital on Friday afternoon, killing a female doctor and wounding six other people before turning his weapon on himself, according to officials.

The shooter was himself a doctor and former employee of the hospital, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio and police chief James O'Neill, who ruled out a connection to terrorism.

He entered the building in a white coat with an automatic weapon concealed under his shirt, officials said.

The incident occurred at the 1000-bed Bronx-Lebanon hospital just before 3 pm (1900 GMT) as many patients were receiving consultations.

Police quickly cordoned off the area and encircled the hospital, placing officers on rooftops as they conducted a floor-by-floor search for the assailant.

The shooter, whose identity has not been officially disclosed, was eventually found dead in a pool of blood on the 17th floor of the building after apparently killing himself, according to O'Neill.

The police chief added that the gunman apparently attempted "to set himself on fire" before activating the institution's fire alarm system. 

The dead doctor, a woman whose identity has also not yet been disclosed, was found nearby. The mayor said some doctors were "fighting for their lives right now," without disclosing how many physicians were among the wounded.

Speaking at a press briefing, De Blasio said: "Thank God this is not an act of terrorism. It is an isolated incident."

Several witnesses spoke of the panic that spread during the attack.

Garry Trimbie told AFP he got a phone call from his fiancee, a hospital employee, at around 3:15 pm.

"She was crying, she said somebody started shooting and then the employees ran and barricaded themselves in the room," he said.