Angela Leach, President of the Board of the American Civic Association, reads a statement 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. [Shen Hong/Xinhua]

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.

(Xinhua News Agency April 5, 2009)