A 15-year-old boy accused of shooting a tourist in a Times Square store and then firing at a police officer while attempting to flee was apprehended on Friday, February 9, on the outskirts of New York City, according to the police.
The teenager was taken into custody at a Yonkers residence that authorities believe may be connected to a family member, nearly 24 hours after the incident that started Thursday night at a sporting goods store and unfolded through the bustling streets of midtown Manhattan.
During a press conference announcing the arrest on Friday night, New York Police Commissioner Edward Caban described it as a “truly a miracle” that no one was seriously injured in the shooting.
Earlier in the day, the suspect was identified as Jesús Alejandro Rivas Figueroa, a resident of an immigrant shelter in Manhattan who arrived in New York from Venezuela at the end of last year.
According to authorities, the shooter, dressed in white, and two other teenagers were attempting to steal a jacket from the store around 7 p.m. when they were confronted by a female security guard asking to see a receipt.
When they were unable to produce one, the guard confiscated their merchandise. It was then that the teenager allegedly pulled out a .45 caliber pistol and shot at her. The bullet missed her, but grazed a 38-year-old tourist who was waiting in line to buy shoes.
Four blocks away, on 47th Street, near a pedestrian plaza in Times Square, two officers quickly spotted the pair and apprehended the second person. The shooter managed to escape towards 6th Avenue, pursued by one of the officers. At one point, he slipped between buildings and shot at the officer, according to police.
The teenager’s arrest comes after a city-wide manhunt and ongoing investigation into the incident. It has left the community in shock and raised concerns about escalating gun violence in New York City.