The New York Police Department has reported that a juvenile, who was 15 years old at the time of the incident, has been charged with the offenses of an adult. The juvenile shot and wounded a Brazilian tourist at a store in Times Square and allegedly continued to fire at police officers as he ran away.
Authorities have identified the teen as a Venezuelan migrant who entered the US last September. A criminal complaint states that he is charged with multiple offenses related to the incident that occurred on Thursday night, including attempted second-degree murder, attempted first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and second-degree assault.
Following a probable family connection to the region, the teen was captured on Friday in Yonkers by investigators from New York City and US Marshals, according to police. Shoe retailer JD Sports was the scene of the shooting. A security guard at the store approached the boy and demanded a receipt for a jacket he was carrying, according to footage acquired by CNN.
Officials reported that the suspect struck a 37-year-old Brazilian woman who was visiting New York when he dug inside his coat for a revolver and shot at the security guard when she grabbed the bag from him.
The guy allegedly shot the pursuing officer twice while fleeing during the subsequent half-mile foot pursuit through Times Square. Police said the officer refrained from returning fire due to the high volume of pedestrians on the streets.
“Our cops showed great restraint not to fire their weapon into crowded New Yorkers,” stated John Chell, chief of patrol for the New York City Police Department.
The incident happened just one block away from the location where, as previously reported by CNN, two officers were attacked by around a dozen young men as they attempted to apprehend one of the guys who had been requested to go aside by police when they approached a group of men from a migrant shelter on January 27.
During a news conference on Friday, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban described the gunshot as “way beyond reckless.” “A criminal with a firearm decided to pull the trigger in the middle of the busiest, most highly-trafficked part of this city,” Caban said.
“Rethink your naiveté if you believe you can harm an officer of this department, endanger the lives of those entrusted with our safety, or subject innocent people to imminent danger and escape punishment,” he admonished.
Assistant District Attorney Kathleen Coulson of Manhattan asked to remand the juvenile in a bail application that was read before his arraignment.
A lengthy prison term is in store for the defendant, according to the bail application, “because he has proven that he is an extreme flight risk and is facing a strong case” including the shooting of an innocent bystander in Times Square and the subsequent shooting of the police officer attempting to apprehend him.
According to Chell, the teen was also involved in two other incidents in New York City last month. One was a robbery in the Bronx where he was held at gunpoint. The other was a shooting incident on 45th Street and Broadway. CNN has requested comment from the teen’s listed attorney. His next court appearance is scheduled for February 13.
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