Times Square Shooting Suspect Altered His Appearance but Was Arrested in Florida

Over the weekend, a man opened fire on three unsuspecting people in New York City's Times Square. He’s finally in custody after he tried disguising himself to get away from authorities.

On Saturday, May 8, 2021, at around 4:55 p.m., close to 45th Street and 7th Avenue, in New York City, the peace was disturbed when a couple of gunshots rang out. Police, who were already there, quickly responded.

However, the suspect managed to get away. The suspect injured three people, Skye Martinez, 4, who was hit in the leg; Mạrcela Aldana, 43, was shot in the foot; and Wendy Magrinat, 23, was struck in the thigh.

Martinez was expected to undergo surgery at Bellevue Hospital. At the same time, the Fire Department of New York revealed that the two older women were taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment.

Several witnesses shared how the shooting came about. They said they saw two to four men having a dispute on the street before one of them pulled out a gun and started shooting.

Detectives believed the suspect was actually shooting at his brother during the altercation but missed and hit the innocent bystanders instead. Hours after the incident, video footage was released of a person of interest.

The police were finally able to apprehend the suspect, Farrakhan Muhammad, on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, in Florida. The New York Police Department’s (NYPD) Chief of Detectives, James Essig, gave this update:

“He [Muhammad] did alter his appearance. He shaved down his head on the side.”

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea also updated the media and New Yorkers on Wednesday along with Essig. Shea called Muhammad’s arrest “justice” after he was caught in the afternoon.

The suspect was caught after police tracked him with cameras and saw him leaving Times Square. He then went to a hotel on 42nd Street, where he changed his clothes and left his girlfriend.

On Tuesday, Muhammad and his girlfriend were seen in Fayetteville, North Carolina, at a Walmart. The following day, in Starke, Florida, police confronted the pair at a McDonald’s while they ate in their vehicle.

Officer Alyssa Vogel is actually a new mother herself and has a 6-month-old child.

Muhammad is being held at the Bradford County jail. The gun used in the shooting has still not been found; however, it was discovered that Muhammad and his brother both sell CDs in Times Square.

Little Martinez’s life was probably saved by a police officer who reacted quickly after the little girl was shot. Officer Alyssa Vogel grabbed the little girl and applied a tourniquet to her leg before taking her to a nearby ambulance.

Speaking to “The New York Post,” Vogel described Martinez as one of the strongest little girls she’d ever seen. The policewoman is actually a new mother herself and has a 6-month-old child.