Murder-suicide at Manhattan construction site

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - A worker was shot and killed at the top of a building under construction on Manhattan's West Side. The alleged killer was later found dead several stories below.

It happened on the roof of a 39-story construction site at 59th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues. The foreman, Christopher Sayers, 37, was shot just before 7 a.m., police said.

Critical response officers went floor by floor until they found the body of a man believed to be the shooter on the 5th floor of the building.

Police said that man had been fired from the job. He returned to the site Thursday with a 9mm handgun, police said. The NYPD is trying to figure out how he got into the building.

"We're understanding he was fired two days ago," Deputy Chief Christopher McCormack said. "Talking to some of the workers so far, they say he was a bit of a hot head. And he was dismissed about two days ago."

The gunman apparently shot himself.

Many police officers and officials responded to the scene. Construction crews were ordered out of the building while the investigation continued.