A 25 year old street vendor was shot dead in New York’s Time Square by a plainclothes New York police officer today.

According to another police officer who spoke on a condition of anonymity, the police officer that shot the vendor was investigating reports of vendors who were intimidating tourists. The vendors being investigated would approach tourists, ask for their names, write the names on a counterfeit CD, and then demand payment for the CD.

When the officer approached the suspect, he fled towards a parking garage. The suspect opened fire, shattering two glass windows of the Marriot Marquis Hotel, the officer returned fire and shot him dead.

The shooting happened at the corner of 46th Street and Broadway, at approximately 11:15 a.m.

The suspect was rushed to the St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center and was listed in serious condition. He was later pronounced dead.

Police have recovered a loaded Mac-10 automatic machine pistol at the scene of the Times Square shooting. 27 live rounds of ammunition were found in the gun, and one shell casing was found on the ground.