Police have a 16-year-old boy in custody after a shooting in Bryant Park that injured two people Saturday night, an NYPD spokesman said.
A 14-year-old boy was struck in the torso and a 20-year-old man was shot in the leg around 11 p.m.
According to police, the shooting stemmed from an attempt by the teen suspect to take the older victim’s coat, saying "I like your jacket."
The victim responded, "If you want it, come get it," according to police.
The victims were taken to Bellevue Hospital Center in stable condition.
Bryant Park Corporation spokesman Joe Carella deferred questions on the incident to the NYPD, but said that "it’s our understanding that this perpetrator was not on the rink; he was outside the rink." The NYPD did not confirm that, as the investigation is continuing.
One witness, Raghuram Krishnamachari, who snapped a picture of police responding to a "motionless" victim, wrote on his Twitter account that he heard about three gunshots: "People fell down, everyone got up and evacuated except one."
The shooting caused Bryant Park to close until about 10 a.m. Sunday, according to its Facebook page.
"We are cooperating fully with authorities, who agree that it is safe to reopen," the message said.
At press time, no charges had been filed.
