NEW YORK: A plainclothes police officer chased a scam artist through sidewalks crowded with holiday shoppers and tourists in the heart of Times Square on Thursday, killing the suspect after a gunfight.
Miami Dolphins Chad Henne Jersey . No one else was injured in the shootout near a landmark Broadway hotel that shattered a box office and gift shop windows, police said. Pedestrians walk past a cordoned off section surrounding the Marriot Marquis hotel where a shooting took place in the hotels passenger drop-off area, Thursday, Dec.10, 2009, in New York. [Agencies] The 25-year-old suspect, Raymond Martinez, and his brother were trying to dupe tourists into buying CDs along Broadway and 46th Street just before noon when he was recognized by a sergeant who runs a task force that monitors aggressive begging, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. Related readings: Drunken driver crashes into police cars, kills cop Shopper killed by drunk in cop van Fearless traffic cop fines violating police cars Top cop?urges efforts against ethnic separatists Illinois ex-cop indicted in death of 3rd wife The officer, Sgt. Christopher Newsom, asked them for their tax identification, which allows peddlers to sell on the streets. But Martinez took off running through the Marriott Marquis hotels passenger drop-off area. Newsom pursued and Martinez turned and fired a Mac-10 9mm machine pistol that held 30 rounds; he got off two shots before it jammed, police said. The officer fired four times, striking the suspect in the chest and arms, killing him, Kelly said. Were lucky the weapon jammed, Kelly said. The commissioner said the shooting appeared to be within department guidelines, which allow for deadly force when an officers life is threatened. Dave Kinahan, a tourist from Boston, was parking his car in a spot below street level at the hotel when he saw one man shooting another. I was 20 yards away, Kinahan said. He said he thought, Is this real or this a movie? The hotel is located in the Broadway theater district in the heart of Times Square. The Marquis Theatre, where White Christmas is now playing, is in the hotel. Bullets from the gunfight shattered the window of the Broadway Baby gift shop and a side window of the box office on the street, police said. Duncan Stewart, a Broadway casting director for National Artists Management Co., has a 12th-floor office that overlooks Times Square. He said he was on the phone when he heard three loud pops. Stewart has worked in Times Square for the past three years. He has gotten used to seeing the weird and wacky, but almost never anything violent. Its bizarre. Its one thing to see the Naked Cowboy day after day in Times Square, but a shooting is something different altogether, he said. Police said Martinez and his brother, who is in custody, were working a scam in which they would approach tourists, ask them their names, then write the names on the CDs and demand payment of $10. They claim the CDs are original work theyve created, but its unclear if thats true. They had already been given a summons by officers this year for not having identification. Martinez had been wanted for assault in the Bronx. The gun he used in the shooting was reported stolen in Virginia on October 28, police said. He also had with him several business cards from gun dealers there, but its not clear if he was also selling weapons, police said. One of the cards had a handwritten message on the back: I just finished watching The Last Dragon. I feel sorry for a cop if he think Im getting into his paddy wagon, according to police. Its unclear who wrote the message, which apparently references the 1985 martial arts movie. NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said officers pay special attention to scams and panhandling during the holidays. Specialized units are set up in areas, including Times Square and Canal Street, where stolen goods, knockoffs and scams are prevalent. We focus on them this time of the year, because theyre preying on tourists during the Christmas holidays, Browne said. NYPD Capt. Edward Winski said arrests involving sellers on the streets have increased in the past few years. So far this year, there have been more than 400 arrests involving illegal and licensed peddlers around Times Square. But some say peddlers get a bad rap. I think they get treated tougher than they actually are, said Zach McCabe, a comedian who has been passing out fliers for his shows for nearly a year on the strip of Broadway where the CD peddlers often stop tourists. He said he didnt think the vendors harass people. I dont see it. I see them talking to people.
Albert Haynesworth Jersey ., Joba Chamberlain pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up the save in the New York Yankees victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.
Buccaneers Aqib Talib Jerseys . Pavano (11-6), who had never thrown more than two complete games in a season prior to this year, gave up seven hits, walked none and struck out six. The right-hander got into trouble in the ninth, which Omar Vizquel began with a double, but retired the next three batters to win his sixth consecutive decision.
Red Sox Daisuke Matsuzaka Jersey . - Justin Maylan scored the winner six minutes into the third period as the Prince Albert Raiders edged the Red Deer Rebels 3-2 in Western Hockey League action Wednesday.
Authentic Steve Smith Jersey . CAROLINA HURRICANES-Recalled RW Steven Goertzen from Albany (AHL). DETROIT RED WINGS-Assigned D Andreas Lilja to Grand Rapids (AHL) for conditioning. NEW YORK RANGERS-Traded F Christopher Higgins and F Ales Kotalik to Calgary for F Olli Jokinen and F Brandon Prust.
Ozzie Guillen Jersey . Bundle all the legendary monsters and villains like Freddy Krueger, Frankenstein, Dracula and Alien together and it couldnt match the horror Boyle felt. Bad things happen to good people as life has illustrated time and again, and bad things happen to good players as sports have pointed out time and again.
Replica Jamaal Charles Jersey . First, quiet words of support for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Then, a not-so-subtle message sent to the Orlando Magic.
Kory Sperry Jersey Authentic Dolphins . -- After speculation that either Pavel Datsyuk or Johan Franzen would not play Sunday night against the San Jose Sharks, both are in the lineup for the Detroit Red Wings for Game 5 of their Western Conference Semifinal series.
Premier Tarvaris Jackson Jersey . I have kept in touch with Printers and happen to be one of the very few that believe he is misunderstood. MONTRéAL - Le Canadien de Montréal a confirmé quil devra se priver des services du défenseur Andrei Markov pour une longue période de temps, en raison dune blessure au genou droit. Un porte-parole de léquipe na pas donné de détails additionnels et il na pas précisé la durée approximative de labsence de Markov. Le Russe sest blessé au genou dans un contact avec Eric Staal des Hurricanes de la Caroline, au moment où les deux joueurs étaient à la pourchasse de la rondelle vers la fin de la rencontre que le Tricolore a remportée 7-2, samedi.
Authentic Anthony Gonzalez Jersey. Le défenseur vedette, agé de 31 ans, nen était quà son septième match suivant son retour au jeu à la suite de lopération au genou droit quil a subie, le printemps dernier. Il sétait blessé sur une séquence semblable à celle de samedi, lors du deuxième tour des séries éliminatoires face aux Penguins de Pittsburgh. ' ' '
