Police Chief Joseph Zikuski of Binghamton said here Saturday that there was “no indication whatsoever” of terrorism involved in the shooting Friday morning that left 14 people dead in the city.

Police Chief Joseph Zikuski of Binghamton (R) replys to questions at a press conference in Binghamton, New York, April 4, 2009, a day after a shooting rampage that left 14 people dead at the American Civic Association in Binghamton. Joseph Zikuski said here Saturday that there was “no indication whatsoever” of terrorism involved in the shooting Friday morning in the city.

“As far as we know, there is absolutely no indication whatsoever that there is any type of terrorist activity in any way involved in this,” Zikuski told a press conference.

The police chief’s denial came after press reports that a Pakistani Taliban militant leader had claimed responsibility for the massacre at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, some 189 miles northwest of New York City.

A lone gunman identified by Zikuski as 41-year-old Jiverly Wong killed 13 people at the American Civic Association building before taking his own life.

Binghamton Mayor Matthew Ryan described the shooting as “a tragedy that affects many different people from many different countries and their families and friends.”

There have been inquires from nine different countries and two different consulates, Ryan told the press conference.

Authorities are still in the process of identifying the victims and a full list of the victims could be released before the end of the day, Ryan said.

One Chinese student was among the wounded in the shooting, according to officials with the Chinese Consulate-general in New York, who refrained from further identifying the individual upon his request.

The student, who sustained two gunshot wounds, one on his arm and the other his leg, is in stable condition following surgery at a local hospital.

The United States, which leads the world in private gun ownership, sees about 30,000 people get killed a year due to gun- related violence.

The press conference in Binghamton proceeded against the backdrop of another shooting incident in Pittsburg in neighboring Pennsylvania that left at least police officers dead.

Authorities are still trying to establish the motive behind Wong’s shooting spree, but Binghamton police chief Zikuski said the gunman had been a student at the American Civic Association and was very upset about being ridiculed for his poor English.

Zikuski said people close to him were not surprised by the shooting. “Apparently people were making fun of him … He felt that he’d been degraded from his inability to speak English.”

Wong, who was unmarried, was recently laid off from a Shop-Vac assembly plant, Mayor Ryan said.

Police chief Zikuski said Wong arrived at the crime scene in body armor and carrying a large amount of ammunition. Two shotguns licensed to him were recovered inside the one-story building of the American Civic Association, which helps immigrants and refugees.

The gunman blocked the back door of the building with his car and then entered from the front, shooting two receptionists first.

Wong, an immigrant from Vietnam, was planning to “take the police on, or at least stop us from stopping him,” Zikuski said.

“He must have been a coward,” the police chief said. “We speculated when he heard the sirens he decided to take his own life.”

“Thank God before more lives were lost he decided to do that,” Zikuski said.

Authorities have hailed one of the receptionists at the building who was shot but feigned death and later called police, who arrived at the scene in about two minutes, which might have prompted the shooter to kill himself rather than put up a fight.

“She’s a heroine, and I believe she saved some lives,” Zikuski said. Four people were critically wounded in the shooting, but the police chief said all of them are expected to survive.

Angela Leach, president of the Board of the American Civic Association, read a statement at the press conference expressing grief at the loss of lives and gratitude to those who rendered this assistance.

She said the association was founded in 1939 by immigrants “who wanted to help those who come after them pursue the American dream.”

“We are a small, volunteer-based organization that helps people who want to become (U.S.) citizens and works to promote racial, religious and political harmony,” Leach said.

“We are stricken with grief, and share this grief with the victims, families, our community, and the entire nation,” she said.

“Every ounce of our energies, caring and compassion is going to help those who are suffering through this tragedy and to this community,” the distraught Leach said, trying to hold back tears. “Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.”

In addition to one receptionist, some teachers at the Civic Association were reported to be among the dead.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet