Times Square gunfire sends bystanders scrambling to safety

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NEW YORK (AP) — Tourists and bystanders scrambled for cover in New York's Times Square on Thursday after several gunshots were fired, sending people running in all directions.

Police said a suspect was quickly chased down. The Fire Department reported that one person was taken to a hospital, although no additional details were released.

A webcam video shows at least two people in black clothing step into the crowded intersection and open fire with what appear to be handguns.

Panicked bystanders can be seen scrambling to get away or duck for cover as the suspects run away down the street, chased by several officers who had been on patrol in the tourist mecca. The shooting happened just yards (meters) from a parked police vehicle.

The shooting took place at around 3:40 p.m., which was after the parade for the NBA champion New York Knicks filled the streets of lower Manhattan. Officials said 10,000 police officers were deployed to secure the event honoring the Knicks’ first championship team in 53 years.

A 17-year-old was shot last weekend in the heart of Times Square, police said, where fans were celebrating the Knicks’ final win over San Antonio. Police took the victim to the hospital because an ambulance could not get through the crowds.