Earlier today, a dispute in Times Square escalated into gunfire, leaving a food vendor wounded. As told by ABC7NY, the 29-year-old was shot in the arm during a confrontation with up to three individuals over stolen food from his Halal stand. The incident occurred at Seventh Avenue and West 47th Street, just before 5 a.m. The victim was hastily taken to Bellevue Hospital, with expectations for a full recovery.
The shooter's description, as provided by the NYPD, is of a bald, heavy-set man wearing shorts and a blue top. Despite the chaotic scene, and tourists present around the clock, immediate apprehension was not possible, NYPD Chief of Department John Chell commented in a statement obtained by ABC7NY. "There are tourists there 24 hours, so it is a concern," Chell said, "We couldn't prevent it. We would like to, but we made a quick apprehension." In the aftermath, police closed off Seventh Avenue between 48th and 46th streets for investigation purposes.
As covered by AMNY, in the wake of the shooting, law enforcement was able to take three people into custody near a subway station close to the crime scene. Police sources suggest that escalation of an altercation led to one individual discharging multiple shots, striking the vendor. While charges are pending, there is optimism that the shooter is among the detained. In a subsequent interview on Fox 5, Chell expressed confidence, "We think we have him off the street, which is a good thing. We will work through this today."
Detectives continued their on-scene investigation amidst the morning rush hour, parsing through the tape-enclosed scene at 47th Street and Broadway, where multiple food carts stood silent amidst the probing.
