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Shoplifters open fire on security guard in New York City’s busy Times Square hitting an innocent bystander in the leg and sending tourists fleeing for cover

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Shoplifters open fire on security guard in New York City’s busy Times Square hitting an innocent bystander in the leg and sending tourists fleeing for cover

A tourist has been shot in the leg in Times Square when a shoplifter opened fire at a security guard who tried to stop him and his crew.

The gunfire didn’t stop there, as the suspect fired at New York City police while fleeing the area.  

Security stopped the shooter and two other teenagers as they left JD Sports Store on West 42nd Street and Broadway about 7.15pm on Thursday.

The guard asked for their receipts and one of the group walked out of the shop empty-handed, but the other two stayed.

The female guard grabbed a shopping bag that contained a coat they were allegedly trying to steal, and approached the other teenager. 

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Shoppers stand inside JD Sports Store in Times Square in the aftermath of a Brazilian tourist being shot inside the store by shoplifters

Security stopped the shooter and two other teenagers as they left the store and took a shopping bag with a stolen coat - then one of them fired at her and hit a woman shopping inside

Security stopped the shooter and two other teenagers as they left the store and took a shopping bag with a stolen coat – then one of them fired at her and hit a woman shopping inside

Police later released a photo of the suspect tin the shooting.  Police said the alleged gunman was last seen wearing a white baseball hat, white coat and white pants

Police later released a photo of the suspect tin the shooting.  Police said the alleged gunman was last seen wearing a white baseball hat, white coat and white pants

Suddenly, the youth whom she took the coat from pulled a gun from his shoulder strap bag and shot at her.

The shooter missed and hit a 37-year-old Brazilian tourist in the leg, just above the knee, as she was shopping inside the store with a friend.

The tourist limped to a storage room and barricaded herself inside as the security guard left the teenagers and rushed to her aid.

One of the shoplifting trio stayed behind while the other two, including the one who left the store before the shooting, fled.

Cops were shot at as they chased after them, but the shooter missed the cops and there were no other reported injuries.

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NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said the shooter escaped into the 49th Street subway station, with surveillance recording him running on the tracks, then left the subway elsewhere.

‘Our officer draws his weapon but he cannot fire — too many people around, too many people ducking,’ he said. 

Cops were shot at as they chased after them, but the shooter missed the cops and there were no other reported injuries

Cops were shot at as they chased after them, but the shooter missed the cops and there were no other reported injuries

Shocked tourists and passersby stand in Times Square near the site of the shooting

Shocked tourists and passersby stand in Times Square near the site of the shooting

Heavily armed police patrol Times Square with the shooter still at large

Heavily armed police patrol Times Square with the shooter still at large

Investigators mark a tool believed to have been dropped by the teens as they fled

Investigators mark a tool believed to have been dropped by the teens as they fled

The pair left a trail of clothes at West 48th Street and Sixth Avenue to West 51st Street and Sixth Avenue as they fled.

Another teenager, a 15-year-old boy, was arrested and police said he told them he was staying at the nearby Stewart Hotel, which is being used as a migrant shelter.

Witnesses tied the victim’s shirt around her leg as makeshift tourniquet as staff and other shoppers huddled in the store’s back room.

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The tourist was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in a stable condition and a policeman who ran out of breath while chasing the suspects was taken to New York-Presbyterian.

Police said the alleged gunman was last seen wearing a white baseball hat, white coat and white pants.

‘At this point, we have numerous resources scouring this area looking for that male,’ Chell said.

‘He shot at our cops not once but twice. He also shot an innocent female one time in the leg. That’s where we stand right now.’

Police officers were attacked when they tried to disperse a disorderly group in front of 220 West 42 Street about 8.30pm on January 27

Police officers were attacked when they tried to disperse a disorderly group in front of 220 West 42 Street about 8.30pm on January 27 

JHoan Boada is released from Manhattan Criminal Court after he was arraigned for allegedly beating up two cops in Times Square with a group of others. He is one of the suspects charged in connection to the Times Square beating

JHoan Boada is released from Manhattan Criminal Court after he was arraigned for allegedly beating up two cops in Times Square with a group of others. He is one of the suspects charged in connection to the Times Square beating

The NYC landmark was the site of other ugly scenes in recent months.

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Police officers were attacked when they tried to disperse a disorderly group in front of 220 West 42 Street around 8.30pm on January 27.

According to the NYPD, the migrants then started to attack them, kicking them in the head and body while the two officers tried to pin down one of the men, tearing off his sweatshirt.

The migrants then ran away, leaving the police officers on the ground while they made their getaway east on 42nd Street toward Seventh Avenue. 

Darwin Andres Gomez Izquiel, 19, Kelvin Servita Arocha, 19, Wilson Juarez, 21, Yorman Reveron, 24, Jhoan Boada, 22, and Yohenry Brito, 24, were all later arrested.

They were charged with assault on a police officer, gang assault, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct but were released without bail. 

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On Thursday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced six additional indictments over the attack, pinpointing the actions of each attacker to explain why he was bringing charges against them.

Up to 14 men are believed to have been involved in the attack, although NYPD officials have repeatedly revised the number of suspects.

Bragg said his office had secured grand jury indictments for a total of seven suspects, including two people who have not yet been arrested.

Only one of the seven indicted suspects is currently in custody – Brito – who police believe was at the center of the assault.

The same group has also been connected to a migrant crime spree that targeted more than 60 women and stealing their phones. One of the thefts involved a woman being dragged by a moped as suspects grabbed her phone.  

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Seven migrants were arrested by the NYPD after they allegedly went on a crime spree that saw them stealing wallets and phones from at least 62 women across the city’s five boroughs.

Police arrested at least seven migrants, all believed to be from Venezuela, in a safe house in the Bronx after executing a search warrant.

Police believe the gang is led by Venezuelan ringleader Victor Parra, 30, who had a tech guy hack the phones, use the devices to make fraudulent purchases and clear out victim’s bank accounts before sending them to Colombia.

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Map: 2.3-Magnitude Earthquake Reported North of New York City

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Map: 2.3-Magnitude Earthquake Reported North of New York City

Note: Map shows the area with a shake intensity of 3 or greater, which U.S.G.S. defines as “weak,” though the earthquake may be felt outside the areas shown.  All times on the map are Eastern. The New York Times

A minor, 2.3-magnitude earthquake struck about 12 miles north of New York City on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The temblor happened at 10:17 a.m. Eastern in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., data from the agency shows.

The Westchester County emergency services department said in a statement that it had not received any reports of damage.

As seismologists review available data, they may revise the earthquake’s reported magnitude. Additional information collected about the earthquake may also prompt U.S.G.S. scientists to update the shake-severity map.

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Source: United States Geological Survey | Notes: Shaking categories are based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale. When aftershock data is available, the corresponding maps and charts include earthquakes within 100 miles and seven days of the initial quake. All times above are Eastern. Shake data is as of Tuesday, March 10 at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. Aftershocks data is as of Tuesday, March 10 at 2:18 p.m. Eastern.

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Ed Martin, outspoken Justice Department lawyer, is formally accused of ethical violations | CNN Politics

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Ed Martin, outspoken Justice Department lawyer, is formally accused of ethical violations | CNN Politics

Ed Martin, an outspoken Trump administration official, is facing attorney discipline proceedings in Washington, DC, for a letter he sent to Georgetown Law about its diversity programs, the district’s professional conduct investigator announced on Tuesday.

Martin is formally accused of violating his ethical codes as an attorney for telling Georgetown Law’s dean last year that his Justice Department office wouldn’t hire students because of the school’s diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives programs, according to the filing from Hamilton Fox, the disciplinary counsel for DC who acts as a quasi-prosecutor on attorney discipline matters.

Unlike unsolicited complaints, Fox’s formal disciplinary complaint kicks off professional conduct proceedings for Martin in which he will need to respond and could be sanctioned or ultimately lose his law license.

Fox’s announcement on Tuesday marks the first major bar discipline proceeding against a high-profile administration official or attorney supporting President Donald Trump during Trump’s second term. Several Trump lawyers faced disciplinary proceedings after the efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election, including Rudy Giuliani, who lost his law license.

“Acting in his official capacity and speaking on behalf of the government, he used coercion to punish or suppress a disfavored viewpoint, the teaching and promotion of ‘DEI,’” Fox wrote in the complaint. “He demanded that Georgetown Law relinquish its free speech and religious rights in order to continue to obtain a benefit, employment opportunities for its students.”

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Martin was removed from the top prosecutor job in DC after senators made clear he would not be confirmed to the role, but has remained at the Justice Department in several roles, including as pardon attorney.

“Mr. Martin knew or should have known that, as a government official, his conduct violated the First and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States,” Fox wrote.

Martin is being represented by a Justice Department attorney, a source told CNN.

A spokesperson for DOJ attacked Fox’s complaint. “The DC bar’s attempt to target and punish those serving President Trump while refusing to investigate or act against actual ethical violations that were committed by Biden and Obama administration attorneys is a clear indication of this partisan organization’s agenda,” DOJ said.

Martin had sent the letter to Georgetown Law while serving temporarily as US attorney for DC, a prominent Justice Department position, and told the school his federal prosecutors’ office wouldn’t hire Georgetown’s law school students. It came at a time when the Trump administration was beginning to crack down on universities for their DEI efforts.

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In his letter, Martin claimed a whistleblower told him that the school was teaching and promoting DEI.

Martin also violated attorney ethics rules by contacting judges of the DC court directly, Fox alleged, rather than going through official channels, once he was informed he was under investigation for his professional conduct. The DC Court of Appeals ultimately signs off on attorney discipline findings.

Early last year, Fox’s office had formally asked Martin to respond to a complaint it received by a retired judge regarding the Georgetown letter.

Martin instead wrote to the judges on the DC court complaining about Fox.

“In that letter, he stated that he would not be responding to Disciplinary Counsel’s inquiry, complained about Disciplinary Counsel’s ‘uneven behavior,’ and requested a ‘face-to-face meeting with all of you to discuss this matter and find a way forward,’” Fox wrote.

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“He copied the White House Counsel ‘for informational purposes because of the importance of getting this issue addressed,’” Fox said.

The top judge in the DC courts told Martin the court wouldn’t meet with him about the disciplinary matter and that he would need to follow procedure.

With Fox’s complaint, there will now be several steps ahead of bar discipline authorities looking at Martin’s action, and Fox didn’t specify how Martin should be reprimanded or punished if the discipline boards and the court ultimately determine he violated his ethical codes.

Spokespeople for the Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday morning.

In recent days, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced her office would have a more powerful role in reviewing attorney discipline complaints against Justice Department attorneys, potentially setting up an approach that could keep the department at odds with the bar on behalf of DOJ attorneys facing their own individual disciplinary proceedings.

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CNN’s Paula Reid contributed to this report.

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Europe and Asia battle for LNG as Iran war chokes supply

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Europe and Asia battle for LNG as Iran war chokes supply

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Asian and European buyers are battling to source liquefied natural gas after the war in the Middle East choked off shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, blocking a fifth of global supplies.

In an indication of the intensifying contest for LNG since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, a handful of gas carriers have abruptly changed course while sailing to Europe and swung towards Asia instead, according to ship monitoring data analysed by the FT.

Countries across Asia are highly dependent on oil and gas sent through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway where shipping has slowed to a near standstill.

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Most of the LNG produced in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates is ordinarily shipped through the strait to Asia, and Asian LNG prices surged almost immediately after war broke out, creating an incentive to divert US gas to the region.

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Taiwan, South Korea and Japan are among the countries that need to source LNG to make up for supplies they will not receive from the Gulf, said Massimo Di Odoardo, head of gas and LNG analysis at consultancy Wood Mackenzie.

Taiwan relied on Qatar for more than 30 per cent of its gas consumption in 2025, according to Citigroup, while for South Korea and Japan the figures were 15 per cent and 5 per cent respectively. Asia typically uses more gas than Europe in the hotter summer months because of more air-conditioning use, creating urgency for Asian utilities to secure cargoes.

The vast majority of LNG is sold under long-term contracts rather than on the spot market, but some buyers are able to change the final destination of their purchases and some sellers are willing to break contracts if prices rise high enough.

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By Thursday, surging European gas prices and rocketing shipping rates had swung the balance back against diversion of US LNG to Asia, according to data company Spark Commodities.

The decision on where to send gas carriers can depend on the relative levels of the European gas price, Asia’s JKM benchmark for LNG and shipping rates.

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For European buyers, the battle with Asia for LNG supplies is eerily familiar to the situation four years ago after Russia slashed pipeline natural gas flows to the continent following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Competition for spare cargoes then pushed prices to record levels.

On Monday, European gas prices reached as high as €69.50 per megawatt hour, more than double their level before the Iran conflict began. Even so, prices are still far from the €342 per megawatt hour reached in 2022.

JKM gas prices also more than doubled since the start of the war to $24.80 per 1mn British thermal units by Monday, equivalent to €73.10/MWh.

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European buyers have learnt from their experience in 2022. “Europe has more weapons at its disposal in this extreme price scenario to try and fight,” said Alex Kerr, a partner at law firm Baker Botts.

Buyers had started putting clauses in contracts to say that suppliers would face much higher penalties if they diverted cargoes for commercial gain, Kerr said.

There is also much more LNG on the market now that is not committed to set destinations, largely because of new projects starting in the US.

While producers such as Qatar impose strict rules on where its LNG can be sent, almost all US exports are allowed to sail wherever buyers want. Several analysts said there had also been an increase in the willingness of some producers to break contracts for financial advantage.

This makes diversions more likely, while the reluctance of some European buyers to sign long-term supply contracts before the outbreak of war this month could prove costly.

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Expectations of a global supply glut convinced some European buyers that it would be cheaper to wait until later in the year to sign supply deals.

Wood Mackenzie’s Di Odoardo said the buyers had also held off on LNG purchases because new EU legislation on methane emissions made it unclear whether they could incur penalties in the future.

The risk of prices rising as Europe and Asia fight for available cargoes is increasing every day the Strait of Hormuz stays almost closed.

Gas is more difficult to store and to carry in tankers than oil, making its markets more vulnerable to shortages and price shocks.

“The longer the Strait remains shut, the greater the risk that the shipping disruption turns into a genuine gas shortage, as tankers cannot load and facilities have limited storage,” said consultancy Oxford Economics in a research note.

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Additional reporting by Harry Dempsey in Tokyo. Data visualisation by Jana Tauschinski

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