The men involved in the dispute ran off, but one was captured on surveillance video. The NYPD released the image below in hopes of locating the person of interest:
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The shooting happened just before 5 p.m. on Saturday when investigators said 2 to 4 men standing at 44th Street and 7th Avenue started arguing. At least one pulled a gun and started shooting at the others.
The bullets missed, and instead struck the three victims, including the child who was toy shopping with her parents.
"Pow pow pow pow, just like that. It was real quick. And we heard it, it just sounded like a firecracker, one witness said.
"I heard about four or five shots. Then a few minutes later, I saw them pick up the girl. She looked like she got shot in the leg. They put her in the ambulance," another witness added.
The girl was hit in the leg as was a 23-year-old tourist from Rhode Island.
Video shows officers at the scene carrying and running with the injured child.
Video: Officers running with injured child after Times Square shooting
RELATED: Who are the victims in the Times Square shooting?
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Police said the 4-year-old girl from Brooklyn was undergoing surgery.
"How many kids have to get shot before we take this seriously?" NYPD Commissioner Shea said. "How many more kids do we need to be shot before we realize that bad policies have consequences and we need action and we need policies regarding laws that have consequences."
Another 43-year-old woman from New Jersey was struck in the foot.
All three victims were taken to the hospital for treatment.
None of the victims knew each other.
RELATED: Times Square shooting renews calls for change to curb violence
The search was continuing for the person of interest caught on surveillance video.
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"We have detectives right now tracking that individual on video," Shea said. "I have no doubt that that individual will be arrested in short time."
Portion of Times Square shut down after 2 people, including 3-year-old child shot
Authorities were not able to recover a gun, but did find three shell casings at the scene.
Police shut down portions of Times Square following the shooting. All lanes of 7th Avenue are closed between West 43rd and West 47th Street. Police say streets are expected to reopen later this evening.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
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