The 15-year-old migrant charged with Thursday’s Times Square shooting that left a woman injured faced the walk of shame Saturday as he headed for court for arraignment on adult criminal charges.
Jesus Rivas-Figueroa, who had been picked up Friday afternoon in Yonkers following an extensive NYPD manhunt, was marched in handcuffs into a Manhattan criminal courtroom on Feb. 10 for booking on charges of assault, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
Law enforcement sources said Rivas-Figueroa allegedly opened fire during a botched shoplifting attempt with two other suspects at JD Sporting Goods on West 42nd Street off 7th Avenue on the night of Feb. 8. Though he allegedly aimed at security personnel, he wound up missing and instead struck a 37-year-old female tourist in the left thigh.
While fleeing the scene, police alleged that Rivas-Figueroa also allegedly took aim at police officers near the corner of West 51st Street and 6th Avenue. Miraculously, neither police officers nor any bystanders were injured.
“He shot at the NYPD officers who pursued him through Midtown, without a single thought of who he might hit — or who he might kill,” Police Commissioner Edward Caban said at a press conference on Feb. 9 announcing Rivas-Figueroa’s arrest. “But just like we promised, less than 24 hours later, he’s locked up and off of our streets.”
Rivas-Figueroa, who police said came to the U.S. from Venezuela about six months ago, was tracked down by U.S. Marshals Friday at a relative’s home in Yonkers. Police officials said he had been residing at the Stratford Arms Hotel on the Upper West Side.
While walking past reporters assembled at the New York County Criminal Court House on Saturday afternoon, Rivas-Figueroa kept his head down and remained silent as NYPD detectives escorted him to and from the arraignment hearing. After he plead not guilty, the suspect was ordered held in custody without bail.
Members of the Police Benevolent Association, the NYPD’s largest police union, were present at the suspect’s arraignment. PBA President Patrick Hendry condemned the attack and said the city had to do better in protecting the public.
“We’re thankful that the tourist who was injured the other day is recovering,” Hendry said. “This can’t be the message that we’re sending the world… that you can’t do some shopping without getting shot. But unfortunately, that’s the message that’s being sent on the street.”
This year, through Feb. 4, when the most recent NYPD data is available, there had been 74 shooting incidents in New York City — which marked a slight decline from the 81 cases of gun violence during the same time frame last year.
Rivas-Figueroa is reportedly also a suspect in two other incidents — an armed robbery in the Bronx, and a different shooting near Times Square, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said on Friday.
With Lloyd Mitchell
