A 15-year-old from Venezuela who arrived in New York City less than six months ago is considered “armed and dangerous” and is wanted over a shooting at a Times Square sporting goods store that injured a tourist, NYPD officials said Friday, Feb. 9.
Jesus Alejandro Rivas-Figueroa is being sought as a person of interest in connection to the chaotic incident on Thursday night, Feb. 8, Chief of Patrol John Chell told reporters.
He arrived in New York from Venezuela in September and has been staying at a temporary shelter at the Stratford Hotel on West 70th Street, Chell said.
He is also a suspect in an armed robbery in the Bronx from January 27, and another incident in which shots were fired in Midtown, the police official said.
The teen is considered “armed and dangerous” with what police believe is a “very large” .40-caliber handgun, Chell added.
He allegedly fired two shots at police officers when fleeing Thursday night.
“He had no problems firing into a crowd at a store … and not shooting at cops once, but shooting at them twice,” Chell said of Rivas-Figueroa.
“We’re not gonna put up with this,” he insisted.
