NEW YORK, July 23: An unidentified gunman opened fire in the main chamber of New York’s heavily guarded City Hall on Wednesday, killing two people, including councilman James Davis.

Eyewitnesses said the gunman, who managed to evade capture, fired several shots in the balcony of the chamber as the city council was in session.

“Two people were hit, one of whom is dead,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was in the building when the shooting took place but was unharmed.

“It is not terrorism. It appears to be a random act, but we cannot allow this to go on,” Bloomberg told reporters. “This is an attack on democracy.”

Several eyewitnesses identified one of the gunman’s victims as councilman James Davis.—AFP