Two NYPD cops opened fire at a hulking man who was acting erratically a block from Times Square Saturday night – but instead struck a pair of innocent bystanders, cop sources said.
The 35-year-old man was behaving wildly in the middle of Eighth Ave. at W. 42nd St. about 9:36 p.m. when he was confronted by the officers, witnesses and sources said.
What happened next was unclear early Sunday morning.
Police sources and two witnesses gave conflicting accounts about what prompted the officers to fire a total of three shots just outside the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
A cop source said the man was œplaying in traffic and throwing himself on the ground.”
œAt some point he™s confronted by the cops, but he™s not taking his hands out of his pockets as cops instruct him to,” the source added. œThe next part is to be determined by investigators.”
œ(The cops) were obviously in fear for their lives.”
A second police source said the shooting occurred as the officers were œstruggling with a person darting in and out of traffic.”
One witness told the Daily News the man was œacting aggressively in the street and jumping around.”
Another said the man pulled out a MetroCard and pointed it at the cops, œpretending like he had a gun.”
The officers fired three shots at the man, police sources said.
A 35-year-old woman was struck in the lower right leg and rushed to Bellevue Hospital.
A 54-year-old woman suffered a graze wound to the buttocks and was transported to Roosevelt Hospital.
The man, who was not identified, was arrested. He was unarmed when he was taken into custody, police sources said. NY Daily News
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