New York shooter's motive unclear

BINGHAMTON, New York (Reuters) - Authorities identified the gunman who killed 13 people and himself at an immigrant services centre on Friday as Jiverly Wong, 41, a Vietnamese immigrant who had taken English classes there.

Binghamton Police Chief Joseph Zikuski said on Saturday no motive for the shooting had been determined, but he confirmed reports that Wong, who also went by the name Voong, had felt degraded by his inability to speak English and by a recent job loss.

"From the people close to him ... this action he took was not a surprise to them," Zikuski told a news conference.

"He felt degraded from his inability to speak English and he was upset about that," he added.

The city has received inquiries from representatives of nine countries and two consulates about the victims, whose identities have not yet been released, Mayor Matthew Ryan said.

On Friday morning, Wong barricaded the back door of the building with a car and, wearing body armour, entered the front and opened fire on two receptionists, killing one. He then went to a classroom and fired, killing another 12 people who were taking English language instruction before killing himself.

Zikuski said the massacre was over quickly, before police had even arrived at the scene, where they removed dozens of survivors who hid from the carnage. Survivors said Wong did not speak before opening fire. The four wounded, including a receptionist who called police, were expected to survive.

The massacre in Binghamton, a town of some 45,000 people about 150 miles (240 km) northwest of New York City, was the worst U.S. mass shooting since the 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech.

"That this tragedy should have happened in our community to our friends who only wanted to advance their knowledge and love of America is unbearable," a spokeswoman for the American Civic Association said in a statement.