Late Monday night, gunfire erupted in the heart of Times Square, injuring three teenagers. The incident occurred near West 42nd Street and 7th Avenue, close to a Red Lobster restaurant, around 11:47 p.m. This bustling area was ironically designated a "gun-free zone" by the city last October.
Responding officers discovered two of the victims at the scene: a 15-year-old and an 18-year-old, both with gunshot wounds to their legs. Emergency medical services transported them to NYC Health and Hospitals/Bellevue. A third victim, a 17-year-old, later surfaced with a graze wound to his shoulder and was privately taken to NYC Health and Hospitals/Harlem. Fortunately, all three are reported to be in stable condition.
Preliminary investigations suggest the three teens were involved in a dispute with an unidentified individual in front of 5 Times Square, leading to the shooting. The suspect, described as wearing dark clothing and carrying a brown backpack, fled the scene on foot. Police recovered ballistic evidence and temporarily closed a section of 41st Street as investigations continued. No arrests have been made yet.
This incident follows recent NYPD reports highlighting a decrease in citywide shooting incidents. June 2023 saw a 16.8% drop compared to June 2022, continuing a downward trend for the first half of the year. The NYPD attributed this to strategic gun violence reduction initiatives and Mayor Eric Adams' policies. Ironically, the Times Square shooting occurred just months after Mayor Adams signed legislation establishing the area as a "gun-free zone," part of a broader statewide law banning guns from sensitive locations. This law is currently being challenged in court by gun rights activists.
