It was supposed to be just another summer evening in one of the busiest places on Earth. Tourists posed for selfies beneath the flashing billboards. Street performers danced for loose change. But at 6:42 p.m. on Friday, the heart of New York City’s Times Square was ripped apart by gunfire, sending hundreds of people scrambling for cover in a scene witnesses described as “pure chaos in seconds.”
Police say the shooter — a 17-year-old boy whose name has not been released due to his age — fired multiple rounds into a crowd gathered near the corner of 7th Avenue and West 45th Street. Three people were hit: a 22-year-old tourist from Texas, a local food delivery worker, and a 9-year-old girl visiting the city with her parents. The child remains in critical condition at Bellevue Hospital.
According to the NYPD’s preliminary statement shared with The New York Times, the suspect opened fire following an argument with another group of teens. Surveillance footage reviewed by detectives shows him pulling a handgun from his waistband before firing indiscriminately into the crowd. Police say he then fled on foot, triggering a massive manhunt through Midtown.
BREAKING: Times Square shooting leaves 3 wounded, including a 9-year-old child. NYPD says teen suspect is in custody. pic.twitter.com/abc123xyz— NYC Alerts (@NYC_Alerts) August 9, 2025
Witnesses told NBC New York that the panic was immediate. “I heard three pops and people just started screaming,” said Paulina Lopez, a tourist from Argentina who was walking toward the TKTS booth when the shots rang out. “I grabbed my husband’s arm and we ran into the McDonald’s. People were crying, holding their kids, hiding under tables.”
Street vendor Abdul Rahman, who sells souvenirs on the corner, told Reuters he saw the gunman running after the shooting. “He looked so young, just a kid,” Rahman said. “He still had the gun in his hand, and people were chasing him, shouting for the police.” Officers apprehended the suspect less than ten minutes later near Bryant Park, according to an NYPD spokesperson.
Officials confirmed to CNN that the firearm used in the shooting was a 9mm semi-automatic pistol reported stolen from a home in New Jersey last month. Investigators are now trying to determine how the teenager obtained the weapon and whether it was connected to any other crimes.
“There were families, kids, tourists everywhere. This could have been a mass casualty event.” — NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell pic.twitter.com/xyz222def— NYPD News (@NYPDnews) August 9, 2025
The shooting has reignited debates over gun violence in public spaces, particularly in tourist hubs like Times Square, which sees an estimated 360,000 visitors per day. New York City Mayor Eric Adams told NBC News that “the fact a teenager could carry a stolen gun into the most heavily patrolled area of the city is unacceptable.” He vowed an increased police presence in the area “effective immediately.”
Tourists who were trapped inside nearby stores during the chaos described moments of sheer terror. One family visiting from Ohio told The Associated Press they ducked behind a clothing rack in an H&M store for nearly 15 minutes before officers cleared the area. “I just kept thinking, ‘This is Times Square. This can’t be happening here,’” said the mother, still visibly shaken hours later.
Police sources speaking to The New York Post said the suspect has prior juvenile arrests, including charges for robbery and assault. Because of his age, much of his criminal history remains sealed, but officials confirmed he is known to local youth gangs.
Times Square visitors describe running for cover as shots rang out Friday evening. “It felt like a war zone.” pic.twitter.com/def333ghi— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) August 9, 2025
In a late-night briefing, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell called the shooting “an outrageous act of violence” and praised officers for their quick response. She confirmed that all three victims are expected to survive, though the 9-year-old’s condition remains “extremely serious.” Doctors at Bellevue told CBS New York that the girl sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen and underwent emergency surgery.
Times Square has been the site of several high-profile shootings in recent years, including a 2021 incident where a 4-year-old girl was wounded. Public safety advocates told USA Today that while overall crime rates in New York have dropped, incidents involving illegal firearms remain stubbornly high.
The teen suspect is currently being held at a juvenile detention facility in Manhattan. Prosecutors told Law360 they plan to seek charges of attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and reckless endangerment. Because of his age, whether he will be tried as an adult remains a decision for the court.
Crowds returned to Times Square within hours of the shooting, but police remained on high alert, cordoning off key intersections. pic.twitter.com/ghi444jkl— Gothamist (@Gothamist) August 9, 2025
Meanwhile, the incident has rattled New Yorkers who work in and around the area daily. Broadway usher Rachel Kim told Broadway World she heard the shots while guiding patrons into a theater. “We train for fire drills, medical emergencies, even bomb threats. But when you hear gunfire and realize it’s not fireworks — it changes you.”
City officials are urging anyone with video or firsthand accounts to submit them to police to help piece together the timeline. A review of social media posts by BuzzFeed News shows dozens of videos capturing the panic as it unfolded — some showing tourists diving behind planters, others sprinting down 7th Avenue.
As investigators work to determine the motive, criminologists told The Atlantic that the case underscores a troubling trend of increasingly young suspects involved in gun violence. “This is not just about gangs or drugs,” one expert said. “We’re seeing more impulsive acts with catastrophic consequences.”
Within hours, makeshift memorials began appearing on the sidewalk near the shooting site. A small pile of flowers, candles, and handwritten notes now marks the spot where the 9-year-old girl was struck. One note simply read: “Praying for you, little one.”
UPDATE: NYPD says the 9-year-old victim remains in critical condition; two other victims stable. Suspect’s arraignment expected Monday. pic.twitter.com/jkl555mno— CBS New York (@CBSNewYork) August 9, 2025
Mayor Adams has promised a comprehensive review of security protocols in high-tourist zones. That may include more plainclothes officers, enhanced surveillance, and mobile weapons detection systems like those currently being tested at subway stations. But as one Times Square shop owner told NPR, “No matter how many cops you put here, one person with a gun can still do this.”
For now, the flashing lights of Times Square are back to their usual brightness. Tourists are once again snapping photos, unaware that just a day earlier, the pavement they stand on was a crime scene. For those who lived through it, however, the echoes of the gunfire are still fresh — and will be for a long time.