Two women and a toddler were shot in Times Square on May 8, 2021, according to the New York police commissioner. See video from the scene later in this article.
The victims were a Brooklyn girl, 4; a New Jersey woman, 43; and a 23-year-old woman “visiting the city for Mother’s Day,” according to NBC New York.
The suspect was named as Farrakhan Muhammad, and he is being sought by police. NBC New York reported that police sources believe he meant to shoot his brother but struck the other victims instead. All of the victims are expected to live.
WANTED in connection to shooting three people near West 44th Street and 7th Avenue in Manhattan on May 8, 2021. @NYPDDetectives need anyone with information about the identity or whereabouts of this individual to contact @NYPDTips at #800577TIPS. All calls are anonymous.
Here’s what you need to know:
The Victims Were ‘Innocent Bystanders,” Police Say
NEW: @NYPDDetectives release wanted posted naming Farrakhan Muhammad as the suspect wanted in connection with yesterday’s shooting in Times Square. It’s believed he intended to shoot his brother, per sources. t.co/J9CZjgyOjY
Commissioner Dermot Shea said in a news conference that a “dispute erupted between two to four males. A dispute occurred on the street involving at least two to four people. At least one person pulls out a gun. Three individuals not involved in the initial dispute were shot.”
Shea implored, “We are asking anyone with any information about what transpired here to call our CrimeStoppers hotline.”
It described it as a “very active investigation” and said Muhammad was being tracked on video by police.
“We have three shell casings that appear to be .25 caliber recovered, and we will see where it goes from there,” he said, adding, “It appears the three individuals shot are not known to each other and appears all three are innocent bystanders.”
He added: “We have at least one shooter.”
“Police Activity: Expect traffic delays, road closures, and a heavy presence of emergency personnel in the area of West 44th Street and 7th Avenue in Manhattan. Avoid the area,” NYEC EC- Notify New York wrote on Twitter. CBS New York reported the same information without providing additional details.
One Victim Described How She ‘Started Screaming’
Shooting in #TimesSquare, a child and a woman shot. Suspect on the loose. 44th St and 7th Ave. 2 Victims rushed to Bellevue Hospital, expected to survive.
#BreakingNews #Flash #NY
#TimesSquare #Video – becksunyer
#NewsUpdate
On May 8, 2021, at around 4:55 p.m. in front of 1515 Browdway, the suspect is accused of discharging “a firearm striking three innocent bystanders at West 45 Street and 7 Avenue. The subject was last seen at West 42 Street and 10 Avenue.”
According to Shea, the gun hasn’t been recovered. “We’re very concerned by the proliferation of guns,” he said. Police officers were in the area at the time of the shooting. They heard 4-5 shots possibly.
“We have three individuals that are shot,” said Shea in the news conference. He said the 4-year-old is a Hispanic girl from Brooklyn who was expected to undergo surgery. He said she was toy shopping with her family.
He said the 23-year-old female tourist from Rhode Island was shot in the leg and was going to visit the Statue of Liberty, but it was close. She decided to go to Times Square instead to “enjoy the sights,” said the police commissioner.
A 43-year-old Hispanic woman from New Jersey was shot in the foot.
One of the three victims was Wendy Magrinat, of Rhode Island, who was visiting Times Square with her family. She told NBC New York: “All of a sudden I heard someone call out in a bad tone at someone. I told my husband ‘let’s move a little bit forward’ because he had our 2-year-old in his hands. At the same moment I told him that, the shots fired. I walked a little bit and then I started screaming, asking for help.”
She told the television station she was shot in the leg.
Part of Times Square Was Shut Down After the Shooting
Wow. Caught in the middle of this, scary as hell!! #timessquare
According to ABC News, parts of Times Square were locked down after the shooting. The suspect fled the scene and is not in custody, ABC news reported.
In one video posted to Twitter from the scene, police were seen looking through the trunk of a car.
The shooting occurred right before 5 p.m. near the corner of West 44th Street and 7th Avenue, according to NBC New York. That’s a busy thoroughfare in the heart of Times Square.