At just past 3 pm EST on Tuesday afternoon, a driver drove a white Home Depot rental truck at least seven blocks down a bike path in lower Manhattan, striking bicyclists and pedestrians. New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio announced at a press conference at 5:23 pm that at least eight people are dead and dozens more are injured. New York Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro revealed that six of the victims died at the scene, and two more passed away in the hospital.
The truck was seen jumping a curb at West Houston Street before turning south onto the West Side bike lane.
Pictures of the aftermath showed mangled bicycles up and down the path. The driver ultimately hit a school bus, injuring two kids and two adults, before fleeing on foot with imitation firearms (paintball gun and pellet gun). Witnesses reported hearing several shots fired. The suspect was ultimately shot in the abdomen by police and taken into custody.
The suspect
According to NYC Police Commissioner James O'Neill, the suspect was heard yelling, "Allahu Akbar," which was an immediate indicator of the possible terrorism component. He is reported to be a 29-year old male. Authorities haven't revealed the name of the suspect or what hospital he is currently being held at. The NYPD and the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force are still investigating the attack.
The current situation
Mayor De Blasio asked that New Yorkers be vigilant if they go out for Halloween tonight and announced that additional law enforcement would be patrolling neighborhoods. The iconic Halloween parade in New York City is still scheduled for this evening. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said that there is no known current ongoing threat.
Cuomo also encouraged New Yorkers to continue to live their lives. The parade starts at 7 pm and takes place in the Village area of Manhattan. It runs up Sixth Avenue from Spring Street to 16th Street.
Previous terrorist incidents
Incidents like this have occurred around the world, most recently in Nice, France, and Barcelona, Spain.
The Nice attack occurred on July 14, 2016, when a truck was driven into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais. Eighty-six people were killed as a result and 458 people were injured. The Barcelona attack took place just a few months ago on August 17, 2017. A van ran into numerous pedestrians along the La Rambla, killing 13 people and injuring at least 130 more.
