'Very violent' migrant from Venezuela, 15, cried while being arrested for allegedly shooting tourist in Times Square



A teen suspect was apprehended by U.S. Marshals after he was accused of shooting a tourist in Times Square.

Jesus Alejandro Rivas-Figueroa, a 15-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela, was arrested by U.S. Marshals on Friday afternoon. Following a manhunt, U.S. Marshals tracked down the teen at a home on Saratoga Avenue in Yonkers, New York. The teenager broke down to tears as he was being apprehended by law enforcement.

"If you think you can threaten the lives of the very people who keep us safe, if you think you can put others at deadly risk and get away with it, then think again. We will never stop pursuing you. We will find you, and we will arrest you," NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said.

NYPD Deputy Chief of Detectives Jason Savino described the teen as a "very, very violent" suspect who recklessly fired a "very large" .45 caliber handgun during a robbery gone wrong in New York City.

Rivas-Figueroa is accused of carrying out a robbery at JD Sports, a clothing and sneaker store in the Times Square area of Manhattan. According to police, the teen was accompanied by another 15-year-old and a 16-year-old. The trio entered JD Sports around 7 p.m. on Thursday.

The teenage boys allegedly began stealing merchandise from the second floor of the store. However, a female security guard reportedly confronted them and took back the stolen property.

Shocking surveillance video shows the teen suspect wearing all white clothing pull out a handgun and fire twice at the security guard. The bullets missed the security guard, but struck a tourist from Brazil.

Tourist Lone Hansen of Denmark told CBS News, "The girl who got shot was between us two. We heard a big bang and then realized what happened."

The chaotic situation spilled into the busy Times Square streets.

NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell explained, "He turns once. He fires towards our officer. Our officer takes his gun out. He cannot return fire, there's too many people in his way. As the suspect goes through the cut between the buildings, he's running, he takes his gun out under his armpit, he fires again at our officer. I gotta tell you – one of those bullets hits our cop last night, this is a whole different conversation we're having today. Our cop showed great restraint not to fire their weapon into crowded New Yorkers."

Police said Rivas-Figueroa was able to escape officers by running into the subway.

The gunman is likely to be charged with attempted murder of a police officer as a juvenile offender.

Police said Rivas-Figueroa is also a suspect in a Jan. 27 armed robbery in the Bronx and a "shots fired" incident in Midtown Manhattan.

Police said the suspect is a migrant from Venezuela who arrived in the U.S. in September. Rivas-Figueroa was being housed in a migrant shelter on West 70th Street, according to WABC-TV.

The 16-year-old suspect was also apprehended by police.

The other 15-year-old suspect was reportedly taken into custody, interviewed by detectives, and then released.

The tourist who was shot in the leg has been released from the hospital.

15-year-old migrant suspect arrested in Times Square shooting www.youtube.com

Chell said, "We don't care who you are, what your status is. We're not going to broad brush a whole migrant community as being bad people."

However, Chell also admitted that "some Venezuelan groups of migrants – and I say some, not all – that are affecting crime in our city more so now than when they first got here."

"We saw the moped robberies and snatches. We see pockets being picked in Times Square and on the subway," Chell continued. "We see some groups going into stores – Macy's, Kings Plaza, Glass Hut – and stealing property. So yes, it's a trend. But I want to be clear here again: We don't care. We don't care who you are, what you are, what your status is. Our job is to keep this community safe."

A senior law enforcement source told the New York Post, "The armed shoplifting you hope is an aberration. But could be part of something bigger. That concerns us."

A Brooklyn police officer told the outlet, "If a small percentage [of migrants] get their hands on guns, it will be an insurmountable problem."

‘Armed and dangerous’ teen migrant from Venezuela cries after arrest over Times Square shooting www.youtube.com

Like Blaze News? Circumvent the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Teen fatally shot by group in ski masks during bloody NYC weekend



A teenager was shot and killed by assailants wearing ski masks in what was the latest episode of violent crime and shootings that took place in New York City over the weekend.

NYPD responders found 17-year-old Jordany Mercedes bleeding out near his home on Beekman Avenue Sunday evening, authorities said. He had been shot in the chest and the bullet punctured his lung, killing him, WNBC-TV reported.

Neighbors said they heard at least two gunshots at around 6 p.m., but few eyewitnesses came forward to speak with the police.

“I was sitting down there when I heard the shots. I didn’t move cause I didn’t wanna get hurt - bullets don’t have no name. And then I just heard somebody screaming and yellin and everybody ran down the block," Celia Albergotti said, according to WNBC.

Detectives have not identified a motive in the shooting but said it appeared the teenager had gotten into an argument with at least one other individual.

Video evidence reviewed by police reportedly shows a group of unidentified males gathered by an electrical box when Mercedes approaches from across the street. A senior official told WNBC the video shows one member of the group walked over and spoke to Mercedes. They appeared to get into an argument, and then the victim falls to the ground.

The teenage victim was pronounced dead at Lincoln Hospital 30 minutes later, WNBC reported.

The senior official said all five members of the group in the video fled on foot north towards Oak Terrace. They appeared to be wearing ski masks and have not yet been identified.

Police recovered two shell casings at the scene of the crime, but the murder weapon has not been found and no one has been arrested.

WNBC said Mercedes' murder capped a bloody weekend in the city where the NYPD reported at least nine victims of gun violence between Brooklyn and the Bronx since late Saturday night.

One man is dead and two others were hospitalized overnight after three other shootings in the Bronx, WNBC reported.

A 45-year-old man died after he was shot in the head around 12 a.m. in the Hunts Point section of the borough. Police identified him as Jose Alvarado of the Bronx.

Another victim is fighting for his life after he was shot in the head while sitting in a tow truck in the Mott Haven neighborhood.

A fourth victim, 20, was shot in the leg overnight in the Fordham Manor section, according to police.

These headline-making shootings come as Mayor Eric Adams has faced criticism for his handling of crime in the city.

While murder in New York City is down 13% from last year and shooting incidents have also declined, the NYPD index of major crimes shows a 34% increase over 2021 fueled by grand larcenies, car thefts, and robberies. There has also been more than a 60% increase in reported rapes between fiscal year 2021 and fiscal year 2022, according to city data.

Mother, 20, fatally shot in the head at point-blank range while pushing baby stroller in affluent Upper East Side. Police have a person of interest.



Manhattan's Upper East Side neighborhood in New York City is known for luxury boutiques, high-end real estate, and world-class museums. However, the posh neighborhood was the scene of an atrocious crime on Wednesday night. A young mother pushing her 3-month-old baby in a stroller was shot and killed.

Around 8:25 p.m., a 20-year-old mother was fatally shot at point-blank range in the affluent Upper East Side. The woman was shot and killed while pushing a baby stroller near the intersection of Lexington Avenue and 95th Street.

The suspect – who was dressed in a black hoodie and sweatpants – approached the woman from behind, according to police. The suspect fired one shot into the woman's head, then fled on foot. The baby was unharmed.

First responders found the mother unconscious. She was rushed to Metropolitan Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 9:20 p.m.

The search for the gunman is ongoing.

Law enforcement told CNN that the victim and shooter knew each other, and authorities are calling the deadly execution-style shooting a domestic incident.

CNN reported that investigators learned details about the woman and her children from domestic incident reports. Police have reportedly identified a person of interest whom they want to speak to, according to a senior law enforcement official.

A 10-year-old girl playing at a nearby playground told the New York Post that she initially thought the gunfire was fireworks.

"But then I realized there was a gunshot. And it really frightened me because I was right there at the park playing and I never would have thought this would have happened," the girl said.

Councilwoman Julie Menin tweeted, "To think that this incident happened in front of a school with a mother pushing her baby in a stroller is beyond comprehension. My prayers are with the victim's family. This tragedy is simply unspeakable and this violence must stop."

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) blamed the crime on guns.

"We lost a 20-year-old woman on the Upper East Side tonight," Adams wrote on Twitter. "She was pushing a stroller when a gunman took her life. More guns in our city means more lives lost. It means more babies crying as those who love them lie dead. We cannot allow this epidemic to keep claiming lives."

Adams said during a press conference, "When a mother is pushing a baby carriage down the block and is shot at point-blank range, it shows just how this national problem is impacting families."

"This entire day, we've been addressing the problem of the overproliferation of guns on our streets," Adams said. "There is just no fear in using these guns on innocent New Yorkers."

"We're going to find this person that is guilty of this horrific crime,” Adams said. "We're going to find him and bring him to justice. We just need the justice system to make sure this innocent person receives that justice that we're asking for."

Woman shot, killed while pushing baby in stroller on Upper East Side www.youtube.com

VIDEO: 10 wounded, including 72-year-old, in 'brazen' NYC shooting where gangbangers escape on mopeds in 'coordinated attack'



Disturbing video shows the eye-opening moment that two men casually strolled down a sidewalk in the New York City borough of Queens and then unleashed a hailstorm of bullets. The mass shooting ended with at least 10 people wounded and the shooters escaped on mopeds.

NYPD officials released surveillance video of two masked and hooded gunmen firing their weapons on a group of people that were standing in front of a barbershop and laundromat in the Queen's neighborhood of Corona. The shooting, which occurred just before 11 p.m. on Saturday, wounded eight men and two women between the ages of 19 and 72. All were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said that seven of the victims were innocent bystanders, and three others were known members of the Trinitario, a Dominican street gang — believed to be the intended targets, according to Fox News. Police said 40 shell casings were recovered from the scene near 99th Street and 37th Avenue, and that investigators were discovering new casings more than seven hours after the shooting occurred.

The gangbangers had getaway drivers that picked them up on mopeds to escape the crime scene.

🚨WANTED for ASSAULT: On 7/31/21 at approx. 10:41 PM, in front of 97-07 37 Ave in Queens, two males displayed firear… https://t.co/OST1bLC4qs

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) 1627827896.0

"This was a brazen, coordinated attack, for lack of a better word," Essig said during a news conference. "This is unacceptable, and it has to stop."

"There's just one common theme, I want to get out there, that's a recurring theme that keeps happening, and it has to stop throughout the city," Essig continued. "That's gang members; that's guns, multiple guns on the scene, scooters being used, masks; and lastly, unintended targets getting hit. This is unacceptable on our streets in New York City, and it has to stop."

"Trust me when I tell you, if you allow gangs to get footholds in this city, we have a real problem," New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Eric Adams said. "This is a crisis."

There were no suspects in custody as of Sunday morning, according to police.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the shooting or the suspects to contact @NYPDTips, or call them at 800-577-TIPS.

There were 18 people killed or wounded in seven separate shootings in New York City on Saturday, the New York Daily News reported.

Watch as @NYPDQueensNorth, @NYPDDetectives and @NYPDChiefPatrol give an update on last night's shooting in Queens. https://t.co/QeIt8bPTsz

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) 1627824385.0

Also this weekend, there was a mass shooting in New Orleans, which sent revelers on Bourbon Street fleeing for their lives. Shortly before 3 a.m., there was a shooting in the French Quarter that left five people injured.

Video shows the moment gunshots rang out and spurred panicked partiers to scurry from the shooting.

10-year-old New York City boy killed by gunman who shot into home during family BBQ



A 10-year-old New York City boy visiting family for a barbecue was fatally shot by a gunman who opened fire outside the house in Queens over the weekend, and police are asking for the public's assistance to identify the suspect seen on surveillance footage of the incident.

What are the details?

The New York Daily News reported that Justin Wallace, who was set to turn 11 on Tuesday, was treated by his father to a day at the beach with friends on Saturday following a year of COVID-19 lockdowns before the boy was killed that night during a family gathering. The boy's cousin, 29-year-old Kyle Forrester, was also shot but is expected to survive.

Justin's grieving father, Albert Wallace, told the outlet he believes the shooting is linked to a longstanding dispute between the homeowners and a neighbor over a driveway. Earlier Saturday, Forrester reportedly argued with the neighbor over parking in the shared driveway.

Albert Wallace told the outlet that he was about to leave when his sister asked him to take a look at a home maintenance issue downstairs. Justin waited upstairs, standing near the doorway of the home.

"That's when I turned back with my son," Albert Wallace said. "If I didn't turn back, my son would be alive today."

Moments later, a gunman is reportedly seen walking up to the house, shooting from the bottom of the front stoop, and then running away. Justin was shot in the torso, and Forrester was struck in the shoulder, according to ABC News.

After the shots were fired, Wallace rushed upstairs.

"I see my son laid down at the door, curled up," Wallace recalled to the Daily News. "When I turn him over, I see this puddle of blood. And I'm saying, 'No no no.'"

Justin was rushed to the hospital, but efforts to save him were unsuccessful.

"I tell the doctors, 'Go back in there and pump his chest,'" a heartbroken Wallace said. "He's too young for that."

NYPD seek public's help

The NYPD shared video footage showing an individual riding in a dark SUV pulling up near the home, and a gunman firing multiple rounds into the residence at 9:33 p.m. Anyone with information related to the murder of Justin Wallace is encouraged to called 800-577-TIPS.

🚨WANTED for HOMICIDE: Do you know this guy? On 6/5/21 at approx 9:33 PM, in front of 342 Beach 45 St in Queens, the… https://t.co/SGKDA4irSC
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) 1622995989.0

10-year-old boy killed in Queenswww.youtube.com