A 15-year-old migrant, identified as Jesus Alejandro Rivas-Figueroa, who was sought by the police for allegedly shooting a tourist and firing at an officer in Times Square, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, among other crimes.
The teenager, who was considered "armed and dangerous" by the police, was apprehended on Friday following a brief manhunt in the wake of the chaos that unfolded in the bustling tourist hub of New York City.
Rivas-Figueroa, in addition to the attempted murder charges, faces charges of assault, attempted assault, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. According to the police, the teenager discharged a .45 caliber handgun at a security guard inside the JD Sports clothing store on West 42nd Street and Broadway around 7:05 p.m. This incident occurred after the guard had caught Rivas-Figueroa and two other teenagers shoplifting sneakers and clothes.
The bullet missed the security guard but hit a female Brazilian tourist in the leg as Rivas-Figueroa and one of the other shoplifters fled the scene. The police report that Rivas-Figueroa fired at least twice at a responding police officer, while a second officer apprehended the other fleeing shoplifter. The NYPD promptly initiated a search for Rivas-Figueroa for the attempted murder of a police officer.
Rivas-Figueroa was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service in Yonkers, New York, just north of the Bronx, without any incident on Friday around 3:30 p.m. NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban, who confirmed the arrest, stated that the suspect has a family connection to the suburb. At the time of his arrest, Rivas-Figueroa was dressed in black jeans and a black t-shirt, and was wearing a gold chain. The footage of his arrest shows him being led away by authorities. The police report that he was dressed in all white when he allegedly opened fire in Times Square.
Commissioner Caban, during a news conference on Friday evening to announce the arrest, described the shooting incident in Times Square as "way beyond reckless." He condemned the act of a criminal discharging a firearm in the busiest and most highly-trafficked part of the city. He issued a stern warning to anyone who thinks they can attack a member of the department, threaten the lives of those who keep the city safe, or put others at deadly risk and get away with it. He assured that the department will never stop pursuing such individuals, and they will be found and arrested.
At an earlier news conference on Friday, authorities revealed that the teenager had migrated from Venezuela and was living in a temporary shelter. He entered the U.S. in September and was staying at the Stratford Arms Hotel on West 70th Street, which houses migrants, according to NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell. It remains unclear whether Rivas-Figueroa is in the country legally or illegally.
The determination of whether his case will be handled in family court or criminal court is yet to be made, considering his age. Under New York law, a child aged 13, 14, or 15 years old charged with committing a serious or violent felony is considered a juvenile offender.
In addition to the shooting incident on Thursday, Rivas-Figueroa is suspected of involvement in an armed robbery in the Bronx and a shots-fired incident in Midtown Manhattan, as stated by Chief Chell.
The Brazilian woman who was shot on Thursday was grazed by a bullet, according to a Brazilian official with knowledge of the situation. She was treated at a local hospital and released, as confirmed by the police. The official stated that she is expected to return to Brazil on Saturday. The police officer who was fired upon was not harmed.
During his briefing, Chief Chell commended the actions of the police officer who was fired upon for not returning fire in the densely populated area. He praised the officer's restraint and prudence, stating that the NYPD is the most restrained police department in the world, a fact he believes was proven during the incident.
This shooting incident occurred nearly two weeks after a group of migrants attacked a pair of NYPD officers, also in Times Square. Several suspects in that case have been indicted, but only one is currently in custody.
Chief Chell noted that some Venezuelans have posed a public safety risk as the city continues to grapple with an influx of migrants. He cited instances of moped robberies, pickpocketing in Times Square and on the subway, and groups stealing property from stores. However, he emphasized that the police department does not generalize the entire migrant community based on the actions of a few individuals. Their primary concern, he stated, is to remove armed and dangerous individuals from the streets.
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