Gunman Who Shot 3 In Midtown Arrested In Atlanta, Police Say

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — A man who shot three people blocks away from the Empire State Building was arrested Tuesday, an NYPD spokesman said.

Makhtar Diouf opened fire on a Midtown Manhattan street on Jan. 21 injuring his target and two bystanders, police said. Diouf was tracked to Atlanta, Georgia and arrested Tuesday, an NYPD spokesman said. Charges against him are currently pending, the spokesman said.

The three victims were identified as 25-year-old Abdoulaye Kane, 43-year old Ahmend Kabia and 29-year-old Adrian Burduja, an NYPD spokesman said. Police believe Kabia was the shooter's target

The triple shooting was likely started by a drug beef between Diouf and Kabia, police said. The two men were arguing in front of a liquor store on West 31st Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues just before the shooting, police said.

Burduja, a Romanian tourist, and Kane were bystanders, police said. Burduja suffered a gunshot wound to his back and Kane suffered a gunshot wound to his left arm, police said.

The victims were taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.

A man who was with Diouf at the time of the shooting — identified as 29-year-old Brian Johnson — is still wanted by police. Both Diouf and Johnson were spotted running from the scene of the shooting, police said.

Johnson is described as standing 6-foot-3 and weighing about 170 pounds with short black hair. His photo was released by police.

Photo by Kathy Willens/Associated Press