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

• Three teenagers were stopped by security as they left JD Sport Store
• Security guard took a bag with a coat they were stealing and one shot at her
• He missed and hit a Brazilian tourist, then fired at cops as he fled

A tourist has been shot in the leg in Times Square when a shoplifter opened fire at a security guard and fled while shooting at police.

Security stopped the shooter and two other teenagers as they left JD Sports Store on West 42nd Street and Broadway, New York City, 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

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

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

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

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

He 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.

NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said he escaped into the 49th Street subway station, with CCTV 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.

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

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.

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.’

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