Three people, including a woman, were injured in a shooting by a teenager at a busy intersection in New York’s famous Times Square area on Saturday, the New York Post reported, citing police sources.
According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), the incident took place around 1:20 a.m. (local time) near 44th Street and 7th Avenue, when two people got into an argument and the teenager allegedly opened fire. Hearing the gunshots, a stampede broke out in the crowd gathered outside the popular Hard Rock Cafe nearby, and people began running around in panic, the New York Post reported.
The injured included an 18-year-old woman who was shot in the neck, while two men aged 19 and 65 suffered leg injuries. According to police, all the injured were admitted to Bellevue Hospital, and their condition is said to be stable.
According to the NY Post, the suspect was arrested at the scene, and a firearm was recovered too. The gunman has not been identified due to his age, and till now, charges have not been filed.
This shooting comes just a week after a gunman, armed with an AR-15-style rifle, opened fire inside a Manhattan skyscraper, killing four people, including an off-duty police officer, before taking his own life.
The shooting took place at 345 Park Avenue, a 44-story building in Midtown owned by Rudin Management, which houses companies such as Blackstone and the National Football League (NFL). The incident caused panic in the busy business district during rush hour.
Officials said the gunman first shot and killed an off-duty New York City police officer who was working security at the building. He then fatally shot three others, including a woman on the 33rd floor where Rudin Management’s office is located, before dying by suicide.
The gunman reportedly arrived in a black BMW and entered the lobby with the rifle, opening fire immediately. He first shot a police officer, then hit a man and a woman while continuing to shoot across the lobby. He also shot a security guard who was hiding behind a desk.
