Times Square shooting: Migrant, 15, slapped with attempted murder charges for shooting at police, woman

A 15-year-old armed migrant who was wanted for shooting a tourist and firing at police in Times Square on Thursday has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and a slew of other crimes.

Jesus Alejandro Rivas-Figureoa, 15, broke down in tears as he was apprehended and taken into police custody on Friday following a short manhunt for the mayhem that erupted in New York City’s busy tourist hotspot.

Rivas-Figueroa, who police had said was “armed and dangerous” as they pursued him, has also been charged with assault, attempted assault and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.

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Police say the teen fired a .45 caliber handgun at a security guard inside the JD Sports clothing store on West 42nd Street and Broadway at around 7:05 p.m. after the guard had caught Rivas-Figureoa and two other teens shoplifting sneakers and clothes.

The shot missed the security guard but struck a female Brazilian tourist in the leg as Rivas-Figueroa and one of the other shoplifters bolted from the scene. 

Rivas-Figueroa fired at least twice at a responding police officer, while a second cop apprehended the other fleeing shoplifter, the NYPD said. 

The NYPD quickly launched a search for Rivas-Figueroa for the attempted murder of a police officer.

Rivas-Figueroa was picked up by the U.S. Marshals Service in Yonkers, New York, just north of the Bronx, without incident on Friday at around 3:30 p.m., according to NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban, who said the perp has a family connection to the suburb. He was wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt, as well as a gold chain as he was hauled off by authorities, footage shows. Rivas-Figueroa was wearing all white when police say he opened fire in Times Square.

“The shooting incident last night in Times Square was way beyond reckless,” Caban said at a Friday evening news conference to announce the arrest. “In the middle of the busiest, mostly highly-trafficked part of the city, a criminal with a firearm decides to pull the trigger.”

“If you think you attack a member of this department, if you think you could threaten the lives of the very people who keep us safe. If you think you could put others at deadly risk and get away with it, then think again,” Caban said. “We will never stop pursuing you. We will find you, and we will arrest you.”

Police vehicles in Yonkers, N.Y., near where Jesus Alejandro Rivas-Figureoa, 15, was arrested on Friday.   (Peter Gerber)

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At an earlier news conference on Friday, authorities said the teen was living in a temporary shelter after migrating from Venezuela. He entered the U.S. in September and was staying at the Stratford Arms Hotel on West 70th Street, which houses migrants, said NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell.

It is unclear if Rivas-Figueroa is in the country, legally or illegally. 

It is not known whether his case will go through family court or criminal court due to his age. A child who is 13, 14 or 15 years old and is charged with committing a serious or violent felony is considered a juvenile offender under New York law.

In addition to Thursday’s shooting, Rivas-Figureoa is suspected in an armed robbery in the Bronx and a shots-fired incident in Midtown Manhattan, Chell said. 

The woman shot Thursday was grazed by a bullet, a Brazilian official with knowledge of the situation told Fox News Digital. She was treated at a local hospital and released, police said. 

She is expected to return to Brazil on Saturday, the official said. 

“The Police Department was very, very resourceful and kind to the lady and really offered a lot of support,” the official said. “The mayor’s office has not reached out, but I don’t think there’s any need because she was not seriously injured as the Police Department was very supportive. She’s completely well and this is not a big issue.”

The officer was not harmed. 

Jesus Alejandro Rivas-Figureoa, pictured, in police released photos from Thursday where he is accused of shooting at police and striking a woman. (NYPD)

During his briefing, Chell praised the actions of the police officer who was fired upon for not returning fire in the densely populated area. 

“Our cop showed great restraint not to fire their weapon into a crowd of New Yorkers,” he said. “His training dictates you have to be prudent when you’re going to fire your weapon.”

“We’re the most restrained police department in the world, and we proved it last night,” Chell added.  

The shooting came 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 being held in custody. 

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Chell noted that some Venezuelans have posed a public safety risk as the city continues to struggle with an influx of migrants. 

“We saw the moped robberies and snatches. We see pockets being picked in Times Square and on the subway. We see some groups going into stores… and stealing property,” he said. 

“The state of this police department is we don’t care who you are, what your status is,” Chell said, referring to the suspected shoplifting teens being migrants. We’re not going to go and broad brush a whole migrant community as being bad people… our concern, the community’s concern is to take this armed and dangerous juvenile off the streets,” Chell said.

Fox News’ Louis Casiano and CB Cotton contributed to this report.