Times Square shooting: Why 17-year-old gunman fired shots at New York tourist hub

The iconic Times Square in New York City, which is always teeming with locals and tourists, became a site of panic on Thursday after several gunshots were fired. Videos emerged on social media showing tourists and bystanders running for cover after the shots rang out. At least one person was taken to the hospital after the incident, but no further details have been released so far.

Shortly after the incident, the New York Police Department announced that they had one suspect in custody.

Notably, this is the second shooting at the iconic location in a week. Earlier, on June 14, a shooting took place when celebrations over the Knicks’ NBA title, their first in 53 years, turned disorderly.

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How the shooting unfolded at Times Square

>> Just after 3.30 pm on Thursday, local time, shots rang out at Times Square in New York City, prompting bystanders to run for cover.

> According to one eyewitness, the shooting sounded like “glass shattering”. Another told CBS News, “A bunch of people running in carelessly. There’s children on the floor.”

>> The Fire Department reported that one person was taken to a hospital, although no additional details have been provided so far.

>> A CBS News report states that the shooting occurred after a dispute broke out between a large group of people on Broadway.

>> Officials note that there was a larger-than-usual crowd at the spot as the Knicks' victory parade had just ended. Moreover, tourists have poured into the city for the FIFA World Cup.

Suspect in shooting now in custody

>> After the shooting, the police stepped into action and chased one gunman down. The shooting happened just yards (meters) from a parked police vehicle.

>> The gunman was seen sprinting south, slamming right into a police officer, resulting in his arrest. Officials say that he is 17 years of age. However, charges have not yet been filed.

>> The authorities are also looking for additional suspects — a webcam visual showed at least two people in black clothing step into the crowded intersection and open fire with what appear to be handguns — and are still investigating what led to the gunfire that put crowds of people in danger.

>> A gun has also been recovered from the scene.

>> A witness present at the scene told the New York Post, “Five shots. Bang bang bang bang bang. People started running. Everybody just took cover. Once they apprehended him, it was back to normal. Now we over here eating shish kabab, chilling.”

>> Another witness said police caught the suspect “real quick”.

Second shooting at Times Square in a week

>> Thursday’s shooting is the second such incident in one week. Earlier, on June 14, an incident unfolded around 2 am local time, in which two suspects fired handguns into the crowd.

>> A 17-year-old boy was struck in the foot during that incident. He was driven to a nearby hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. Three people were taken into custody in connection with that shooting.

>> The back-to-back incidents have raised questions about crowd security as the FIFA World Cup continues and further public celebrations are expected.

With inputs from agencies