Gunman shoots thee in New York 'race attack'

A heavily-armed man allegedly shot three people and tried to set patrons at a Manhattan bar on fire before being wounded by officers and arrested in what police said was a racially-motivated attack.

Steven Johnson, 34, was charged with attempted murder after what Police Commissioner Ray Kelly described as a ‘‘very bizarre crime by this deranged individual’’.

Johnson, who is black, was carrying three loaded guns, 153 rounds of ammunition and a samurai sword when he approached four white people walking in New York’s East Village and told them: ‘‘I have a problem with you,’’ Kelly said.

Johnson shot one of the men in the upper body, followed him as he ran to the door of the bar and shot him again, police say. Johnson then entered the bar and ordered up to 40 patrons to the kitchen, police said.

A 54-year-old Asian man who owns a store next to the bar heard the shots and peeked in, and Johnson shot him in the wrist, police said.

Johnson, who was also carrying a police baton, a bottle of paraffin, a fireplace lighter and more than 100 plastic handcuffs, then allegedly forced a woman to start putting flex cuffs on the hostages while he sprayed the crowd with paraffin and fired occasional shots at police cars outside.

Witnesses told police that Johnson was ‘‘ranting about white people and vowed revenge for thousands of years of suffering’’.

Kelly added that Johnson said he was having ‘‘fun’’ and that ‘‘a real man chooses when he dies’’.

When Johnson pulled out the lighter, two Manhattan women jumped him, and he shot one in the leg, police said. Officers heard the shots and stormed the bar, grazing Johnson in the head with a bullet and taking him into custody 45 minutes after the ordeal began.

‘‘Those two women did the right thing, a very important thing ... they were very brave,’’ Kelly said.

Johnson was charged with attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

The three victims were taken to Bellevue Hospital. The first man, shot twice, was in serious condition last night; the woman, who is white, and the other man were stable. The suspect was also taken to Bellevue, where he also was in stable condition, police said.

Johnson lives in Brooklyn with his 10-year-old son and has been despondent since his wife died in March, neighbours told investigators. He has an arrest record dating to 1985 that includes weapons violations, larceny and drug possession.

Police who searched his home said they found a note taped to a wall that said, ‘‘Tell the boys in blue I won’t be easy.’’