TIMES SQUARE — A loud sound sent tourists running in Times Square on Sunday evening; some feared possible gunfire, but police said a dispute had knocked over a planter a police barricade.
The NYPD received a 911 call for a possible shooting near West 47th Street and Broadway around 5:40 p.m. One person was later arrested on marijuana-related charges.
James Chesney was sitting in Times Square when he heard a loud noise.
“I saw a whole 300 people headed towards my way towards like a stampede, so I ran as fast as I could out of the way,” he said.
Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa came to the scene.
“It’s the Wild Wild West in Times Square,” he said. “You gotta wonder, people all the over world see these reports.”
While they investigated, police asked people to avoid the area and advised pedestrians and drivers to expect delays.
A 21-year-old bystander was shot in the back in Times Square in late June. In May, two women and a 4-year-old girl were shot in the same area in Times Square.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
