8 dead after truck mows down pedestrians in “act of terror”

Authorities stand near a damaged Home Depot truck after a motorist drove onto a bike path near the World Trade Center memorial, striking and killing several people Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

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Eight people were killed and nearly a dozen others injured following an “act of terror,” during which a truck mowed down multiple people on a bicycle path in New York City on Tuesday, and the lone suspect has been identified as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov of Tampa, Florida.

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Update, October 31, 2017 9:45 p.m.

Inside Saipov’s rental truck, authorities reportedly found a handwritten note. The note, which was written in English, claimed the suspect carried out the attack in the name of ISIS and declared his allegiance to the Islamic State. As he is expected to survive, investigators will likely question him about his motive. Police, however, believe he was inspired, not directly ordered, by the terrorist group.

Update, October 31, 2017 6:30 p.m.

President Trump addressed Tuesday’s “act of terror,” which left eight dead and nearly a dozen others injured, on Twitter following the tragedy.

“In NYC, looks like another attack by a very sick and deranged person. Law enforcement is following this closely,” he wrote before giving a strong warning. “NOT IN THE U.S.A.!”

Update, October 31, 2017 6:19 p.m.

The suspect has been identified as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov of Tampa, Florida, multiple law enforcement sources say, according to ABC News. He is reportedly an Uzbek national who came to the United States in 2010. He was stopped by police in Pennsylvania once in 2012 and again in 2015, both times giving officers a New Jersey address.

https://twitter.com/justinjm1/status/925484491547774980

Update, October 31, 2017 5:42 p.m.

During a press conference, Mayor Bill de Blasio called the attack an “act of terror, and a particularly cowardly act of terror,” announcing that at least eight people have now lost their lives as a result of the tragedy intended “to break our spirit.” Governor Andrew Cuomo reiterated that the attack was intentional with “no evidence to suggest a wider plot or a wider scheme.” He promised, “we’re not going to let them win,” and announced that the city will see additional security in the coming weeks out of an abundance of caution.

NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neil expressed his condolences to the victims and their families and praised police and first responders for their swift response to the incident. He gave a timeline for the incident, revealing that the attacker crashed into a school bus, injuring two adults and two children, after mowing down several people on the bike path. He then exited the truck with two imitation weapons, including a paintball gun and a pellet gun. Police then suppressed the suspect by shooting him in the abdomen. Six people were declared dead at the scene, while two later died in the hospital. At least 11 others were transported to the hospital with serious, but not life-threatening injuries.

Witness John Williams recalled the scene, saying “the smell of gun smoke, when I got there, was very, very strong.”

https://twitter.com/MadisonMills22/status/925460478352084992

Update, October 31, 2017 5:10 p.m.

An attacker in a Home Depot truck hit numerous people while driving the wrong way down a bicycle path before jumping out of the vehicle with two fake firearms. He also crashed into a school bus, wrecking the truck. Four people were reportedly removed from the bus with minor injuries.

Police shot the suspect and took him into custody. He is now being treated at a nearby hospital.

As the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force takes over the lead, law enforcement sources have indicated that the incident is being investigated as terrorism, with multiple witnesses reporting the suspect yelled, “Allahu Akbar,” Arabic for ‘God is great.”

Update, October 31, 2017 4:45 p.m.

One suspect is in custody after officers responded to reports of a vehicle collision and a possible shooting in Lower Manhattan near the September 11 memorial, police say.

According to multiple media reports, a box truck driver mowed down multiple people while driving the wrong way down a bicycle path. The driver collided with a school bus before exiting the vehicle with what appeared to be a gun. Shots were reportedly fired; however, officials have not yet confirmed that report. In addition to the deaths, at least eleven are injured.

Police quickly responded to the incident, shooting the suspect and taking him into custody. They are not looking for additional suspects and are reportedly considering terrorism as part of the investigation.

Original Story

A suspect is in custody after New York City police officers responded to reports of a vehicle collision and a possible shooting in Lower Manhattan near the September 11 memorial on Tuesday, police say.

According to multiple media reports, a box truck driver mowed down multiple people, killing at least one of them. Shots were reportedly fired with NYC officials initially indicating that multiple people may have suffered and succumbed to gunshot wounds. However, it’s unclear if the injuries were sustained during the truck crash or the alleged shooting.

Police quickly responded to the incident and made one arrest, shutting down the area.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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