Police searching for gunman after tourist shot inside sports store near Times Square
MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) -- One person is in custody, and two others, including a gunman, are at large following a shooting that left a tourist shot during a shoplifting incident inside a sports store in Midtown, Manhattan Thursday night.
Officials say officers responded to a shooting inside JD Sports just after 7 p.m. On the second floor of the store, the suspects started stealing clothing and possibly sneakers, placing the items into a bag, according to NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell.
Two of the three men then entered the lobby of the store, where a female loss prevention employee confronted them and asked for a receipt. She was able to take back the stolen property from then, Chell said.
WATCH | Eyewitness News special report on Midtown shooting
One of the men, described by police as being between 15 and 20, then took out a gun from a shoulder strap bag and fired once toward the loss prevention officer, which missed and hit an innocent bystander shopping inside the store, striking them once in the leg, police say.
The victim, a 37-year-old woman, was taken to Bellevue Hospital where she is expected to survive.
The two men and the shooting suspect fled north toward W. 47th Street and 7th Avenue.
Two nearby officers heard the report of the shooting and saw the two men and approached them. They apprehended one, but the alleged shooter escaped, and one officer began chasing after him.
At some point during the chase, the shooter shot twice at the officer, missing both times. The officer drew his gun, but did not fire due to the number of people nearby, Chell said.
Officials say the suspect then ran into a subway station.
One of the three men were taken into police custody.
Police are now looking for the gunman.
"At this point we have numerous resources scouring this area looking that male," said Chell during Thursday night's press conference. "He is the shooter. He shot at our cops not once, but twice and also shot an innocent female one time in the leg."
Earlier in the evening, the NYPD urged people to avoid the area surrounding 47th Street to 51st Street on Sixth Avenue and 42nd Street and Broadway.
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