In recent news from New York City’s Manhattan Times Square commercial district, the Duane Reade pharmacy was targeted by a 26-year-old homeless man named Shadeed Walker who attempted theft within the store and ended up stabbing a 21-year-old male security guard who intervened. Walker was subsequently arrested by the authorities and faces charges of robbery and assault.
According to police reports, the incident occurred around 4 p.m. on June 1st. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they found that the male security guard had been stabbed in the arm and left side of his torso. The guard was promptly taken to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center for treatment, where his condition is reported to be stable. Walker, who is homeless, was taken into custody by the police, and the case is still under investigation.
As reported by the New York Post on June 1st, the security guard had tried to prevent Walker from shoplifting at the pharmacy but was attacked with a knife. Walker also threatened individuals outside the store with the weapon. When the police tracked down Walker a few blocks away, he was still in possession of the knife used in the attack.
The pharmacy where the incident took place is located at the junction of West 53rd Street and 8th Avenue in Manhattan, within the Times Square commercial district and under the jurisdiction of the NYPD Midtown North precinct.
According to the latest crime data released by the NYPD, the Midtown North precinct in Manhattan reported a 0.7% increase in robbery incidents and a 16.4% increase in serious assault cases in the past 28 days compared to the same period last year. However, retail theft cases decreased from 618 incidents to 494, marking a 20.1% decline.
Upon visiting the affected Duane Reade store, our reporters observed that skincare and beauty products on the left-hand side of the entrance were all secured in transparent cabinets for security reasons. Customers are now required to request assistance from staff to access these products.
A long-term resident of the area, a Caucasian male who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed to The Epoch Times that while the security guard was doing the right thing, under New York law, guards should not intervene with homeless individuals as it could lead to trouble. He noted an increasing trend of store robbery incidents post-pandemic.