NY hostage crisis over, 14 dead

The gunman who went on a rampage at a civic center in Binghamton, New York is dead and the surviving hostages have been released. 

Several unnamed sources were quoted by CNN as saying that the gunman had been found dead inside the center on Friday. 

"The building is secure and everyone alive is out," the town police chief was quoted by Local News 10 Now. 

Police chief Joseph Zikuski said there were "14 confirmed dead in the building" and that he had "very good reason to believe that the shooter is among the dead at the scene." 

Earlier reports had said that 12 or 13 people were killed in the shooting spree by the gunman, who had held dozens of hostages at a civic center in upstate New York. 

Reports said the gunman took between 20 and about 40 hostages in the civic center in the small city located 217 km (135 miles) northwest of New York City, near the border with Pennsylvania. 

Several hours into the terrifying standoff, police brought out two men with their hands secured behind their backs, local television and newspapers reported. 

Local police would not comment on those reports or give details on casualty numbers, but a press conference was due to be held in later in the day.