A tourist was shot in the leg after a suspect tried shoplifting at a Times Square store, according to a law enforcement source, leaving a large swath of midtown streets closed for hours Thursday amid an all-out manhunt for the gunman.
The incident began just after 7 p.m. at a store near Broadway and West 41st Street, a police official told NBC New York. At least two individuals went inside a store — reported to be JD Sports on Broadway, according to the FDNY — and went upstairs. They started shoving clothes into a shopping bag before they went back downstairs, police said.
A loss prevention officer went up to the pair and took the bag from them. As the guard was talking with him, one of the two, wearing all white, pulled out a gun and fired, according to police.
The bullets missed the security officer, but struck a Brazilian tourist in the leg above the knee, the source said. The victim, a 37-year-old woman shopping at the store, was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where she was expected to recover.
The duo took off, ending up at 47th Street and Seventh Avenue where two officers spotted them. One of the individuals was apprehended, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said, while the other fled toward Sixth Avenue. The first individual was later released, law enforcement sources said Friday.
Midway down that block, the second suspect went into a cutout between two buildings, including the Fox Corporation headquarters, then turned and fired one shot at the officer giving chase. As he continued to run, he fired again at the officer from under his arm. The officer did not return fire either time.
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Police said the suspected gunman dumped his white jacket, which could be seen lying on Sixth Avenue.
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The suspect ran into the Rockefeller Center subway station at 46th Street and Sixth Avenue and went onto the tracks. He later left the station, but police did not know where he went after that.
"We are looking for one male, he is your shooter, he shot at our cops not once, but twice and also shot an innocent female one time in the leg," Chell said.
No injuries to the officers were reported.
A large swath of midtown streets were closed for hours amid the chaos, with police telling people to avoid the area between 47th and 51st streets along 6th Avenue for much of Thursday evening. Sixth Avenue did not reopen until after 10 p.m. The department also said a police presence could be expected in Times Square, and traffic delays were likely.
An investigation is ongoing.
