NYPD arrests 15-year-old in Times Square tourist shooting incident

Simon Druker
·2 min read
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A 15-year-old suspect is now in custody in New York City in relation to a shooting incident in Times Square earlier in the week, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban (C) confirmed Friday at a press conference. Photo courtesy of the New York Police Department
A 15-year-old suspect is now in custody in New York City in relation to a shooting incident in Times Square earlier in the week, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban (C) confirmed Friday at a press conference. Photo courtesy of the New York Police Department

Feb. 10 (UPI) -- A 15-year-old suspect is in custody in connection with the shooting of a tourist in New York City's Times Square earlier this week, police have confirmed.

New York Police Department Commissioner Edward Caban thanked the U.S. Marshal Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Yonkers, N.Y., Police Department, as well as the work of his own detectives, during a news conference on Friday confirming the arrest of Jesus Alejandro Rivas Figueroa.

Figueroa is accused of shooting a tourist in Times Square Thursday and firing at one of the police officers responding to the call.

He was arrested by US Marshals in Yonkers, just north of New York City.

The 15-year-old is from Venezuela and arrived in the United States last September, authorities said Friday.

Police had been offering a more than $13,000 reward for information leading to Figueroa's arrest and issued a poster with the teen's photo on it.

Figueroa ran from the scene and was last seen entering a nearby subway station where he dropped his shoes and jacket and ran onto the tracks.

"Just like we promised, less than 24 hours later, he's locked up and off our streets," Caban said. "Considering where the shootings took place, it's an actual miracle that we're not having a very different conversation right now."

He did not elaborate on how police were able to track the teen down, although officials praised the "pristine" photos detectives were able to recover from security footage.

Police contend Figueroa was one of three teens caught by a security guard stealing merchandise from a sporting apparel store in Times Square on Thursday. He then allegedly began firing a large-caliber handgun at the female security guard when confronted in the lobby but missed. A stray bullet hit a Brazilian tourist in the leg, police confirmed Friday.

The woman was treated at a hospital and released.

Figueroa reportedly continued shooting at responding NYPD officers but missed. Police did not return fire because of the crowds of people in close proximity.