The Empire State building reopened Friday afternoon, after it closed due to a fatal shooting this morning, where 2 people died and nine were injured.

A 58-year-old man dressed in a suit and identified as Jeffrey Johnson killed his former boss Steve Ercolino in front of the Empire State at around 9 am.

According to reports, the victims had a history of problems. Both had filed harassment complaints against each other relating to a dispute at work, according to Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly.

Johnson had been fired two years ago from Hazan Imports after the company cut its staff, Mayor Bloomberg said.

The gunman waited for Ercolino as he returned to the office with breakfast from a nearby shop, according to the New York Daily News. Ercolino was just steps away from the front door when Johnson pulled out a gun from his jacket and shot him in the chest, witness Irene Timan cited told the New York Times.

He also shot Ercolino in the head and it is believed that he fired a total of five shots at him, according to detectives.

Johnson walked down 33rd street and was confronted by two policemen and "tried to shoot the cops and kill the cops," according to Bloomberg.

But the cops returned fire and killed him, also injuring 9 bystanders. None of the people shot were in risk of losing their lives.

The shooting shook New York City's residents and authorities mostly because it happened at day time, during the busiest hours of the morning.