NYPD Cops Mistakenly Shoot Two Female Bystanders (While Attempting to Apprehend a Man Pretend Shooting with His Hand)

Police shot two female bystanders in Times Square last night while confronting am emotionally disturbed man who was “simulating shooting the officers." A 35-year-old man was acting erratically—weaving in and out of traffic—in the middle of W. 42nd Street at Eighth Avenue around 9:35 p.m. Saturday night. When cops attempted to detain him, he suddenly “reached into his pocket, took out his hand, and simulated as if he was shooting at them,” Commissioner Ray Kelly said, reports Gothamist.

Police said one officer fired one shot, not striking the man. Then another officer who had responded fired two shots at the man, also not striking him. Instead, two pedestrians standing on the northeast corner of 8th Avenue and West 42nd Street were struck. A 54-year-old woman who uses a walker was struck in the lower right leg and rushed to Bellevue Hospital. A 35-year-old woman was grazed in her buttocks and was transported to Roosevelt Hospital.

It's probably because of all that great training they get that they didn't shoot three bystanders.