Teen accused of Times Square shooting in custody
NEW YORK - The teen accused of shooting a woman inside a sports store in Times Square has been taken into custody.
The 15-year-old suspect was caught in Yonkers by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Recovery Task Force on Friday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, NYPD officials identified the Times Square shooter as a Venezuelan migrant who had arrived in the country in September, living in a temporary migrant shelter at the Stratford Hotel on West 70th Street.
The teen is also a suspect in a Bronx armed robbery on Jan. 27 and a shots-fired incident in Midtown, according to police.
Surveillance video obtained by FOX 5 NY shows the moments before a gunman opened fire inside a Times Square sports apparel store, shooting a tourist and then later at an officer.
According to police, the suspect first opened fire inside the store, hitting a 37-year-old female tourist in the leg. Then, just a few blocks away, police said the suspect opened fire again, this time at an officer while trying to evade police.
The NYPD is searching for this man in connection with Thursday night's shooting in Times Square.
What happened Thursday night in Times Square?
According to police, three men walked up to the second floor inside JD Sports, located at 42nd St. and Broadway, and began stuffing clothing into a bag.
Two of them walked back down to the lobby and were caught by a female security officer, who confiscated the stolen goods, police said.
That's when police said the shooting suspect pulled out his gun and hit the woman in the leg. She was taken to Bellevue Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
"At this point, they run down to 47th St. and 7th Ave.," NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said. "We have two cops who are hearing this, and they approached both males. They quickly apprehend the one male with the blue jacket. One partner by himself chases the shooter wearing all white down 47th St., toward 6th Ave. He turns one time and fires at our officer. As the male in the white goes further into the cut, under his armpit, he fires his second shot at our officer."
Shell said the suspect was last seen entering a subway station at 6th Ave. and 46th St., ditching his jacket before he went down there. Police have collected that as evidence.
The man wearing the blue jacket was taken into custody. He was questioned and released, not charged in relation with any of the incidents. Police said the third person remains unaccounted for.