DEVELOPING: Several people were shot Friday and dozens of hostages taken at an immigration center in upstate New York.
There may be some fatalities in the rampage at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, N.Y., but police declined to say whether that's the case.
Binghamton Police told FOXNews.com that they couldn't confirm whether any of the shooting victims died and wouldn't give the number shot because it was still "an active scene."
But a local hospital said they were treating at least five shooting victims.
The five with gunshot wounds were at the local Wilson Medical Center, one in critical condition, hospital community relations vice president Christina Boyd told FOX News.
SWAT team officers have surrounded the building but "they do not have it secured," a Binghamton police spokesman told FOXNews.com.
The Associated Press reported that at least 4 people were shot and 41 were taken hostage.
Hospital staff were in the process of notifying the families, according to Boyd. None of the victims were identified, and there were extra doctors and nurses there to handle the emergency, she said.
Binghamton Mayor Matthew Ryan told the local Press & Sun Bulletin newspaper that the gunman had a high-powered rifle. The shooter was described by local media as an Asian male in a green jacket.
Apartments and schools in the area have been evacuated or are on lockdown.
The mayhem began about 10:30 a.m. EDT Friday.
There were classes scheduled Friday at the immigration services center, located in the same town as Binghamton University, part of the State University of New York (SUNY).
At least four people were taken from the building on stretchers and moved to hospitals, local media said.
Emergency dispatchers were in contact with some people inside by phone, WBNG-TV reported. The gunman might still be in the building, the station reported.
The American Civic Association describes itself as helping immigrants and refugees with counseling, resettlement, citizenship, family reunification and translators.
It also intervenes with emergencies, including fighting, hunger and homelessness, according to information from the association's Web site.
protecting our borders, one hospital at a time. Hopefully the hostages are negotiated their freedom and this man is caught, killed, arrested, etc. I take it this guy didn't sign Rachel's Challenge as well as the German kid
