New York: Two people were killed when a gunman fired shots from the second floor balcony of the City Hall as a Council meeting was in progress on July 23.

Officials identified one of the persons killed as Councillor James Davis who was shot twice in the chest.

Mayor Michel Bloomberg, who was in his office at the lower level, was injured and described the shooting as a "random act".

"This is an attack on Democracy. We will not stop until we find who did this. It is not terrorism. It appears to be a random act, but we cannot allow this to go on ever," Bloomberg said.

Police said they are looking for a "light-skinned Black man in a blue suit" but media reports said two people were taken out of the building for questioning.

The gunman who fired shots in the main chamber of the New York City Hall was yet to be apprehended, Bloomberg said.

"We have a description of the shooter and that is being used by the police at the moment. They are searching the City Hall and the neighbourhood," he said.

One report said the incident could be related to political rivalry but there was no official word about the motive.

PTI