Posted on May 11, 2021

Manhunt Underway, More NYPD Cops Deployed After Times Square Shooting

WABC, May 11, 2021

The NYPD continues the hunt for the 31-year-old person of interest in connection with Saturday’s shooting in Times Square that left three innocent bystanders, including a 4-year-old girl, wounded.

More officers have been deployed across the world-renowned tourist destination as police try to reassure people after a man starting shooting Saturday afternoon into a crowd of people.

31-year-old Farrakhan Muhammad remains at large.

Farrakhan Muhammad

Farrakhan Muhammad

Muhammad is known to frequent the area, passing off bootleg CDs. He has been arrested several times over the last few years.

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On March 17, 2018, he was arrested for aggravated harassment in Midtown and on March 14, 2020, he was arrested for assault in Midtown.

Between 2007 and 2015 he was arrested seven other times on various charges including robbery, grand larceny and fraud.

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said it is only a matter of time before he is caught.

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The mayor said he does not believe that shooting is indicative of larger problems.

The city has a lot riding on tourism. Visitors spent $67 billion in 2019.

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Saturday’s Times Square shooting renewed calls for change to curb the rising violence in the city.

Regarding the shooting victims, de Blasio announced Monday that all three are out of the hospital and “it looks like they will make a stronger recovery.”

Alyssa Vogel was identified by police as the officer carrying the 4-year-old child to the ambulance after the shooting. {snip}

The 4-year-old underwent surgery and is expected to be OK.

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Eyewitness News caught up with 23-year-old tourist Wendy Magrinot on the phone.

She said she thought she was going to die.

“I was able to run like five steps and I told my mom to take the baby and run,” Magrinot said. “I saw a police officer and I screamed to him, ‘I’m shot, I have a 2 year old, I don’t want to die, please help me.”

She also says she has no plans to return to New York City anytime soon.

Marcela Aldana, who was shopping with her daughter when she was shot, said her prognosis is good, but she has no idea when she can return to work to provide for her family.

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