UPDATE: 8 people killed, 11 injured in ‘lone wolf’ NYC terror atack
NEW YORK (JTA) — Eight people were killed and 11 more were injured as a truck rammed into a crowd and struck a bus in the worst act of terror in New York City since 9/11.
Emergency personnel responding to a truck ramming in Lower Manhattan suspected of being a terror attack, Oct. 31, 2017. (Kena Betancur/Getty Images)
Five of the people killed were Argentine tourists visiting Manhattan to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their high school graduation, including one Jewish businessman.
According to Argentina´s Foreign Ministry the victims are Diego Enrique Angelini, Ariel Erlij, Hernán Diego Mendoza, Alejandro Damián Pagnucco y Hernán Ferruchi.
Another Argentinean Martín Ludovico Marro, was injured and was taken to the Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. Four others from the group were not hurt.
Erlij, 48, is a Jewish steel mill owner from the central Argentinian city of Rosario. He reportedly paid for two of his high school friends to go on the trip so they could all be together for the anniversary. They graduated in 1987 from the Polytechnic School in Rosario.
Another listed victim was a female from Belgium. Two other victims remain unidentified.
The suspect, identified as a 29-year-old immigrant from Uzbekistan, Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, was reportedly working as an Uber driver. Driving a rented Home Depot truck, Saipov struck several people on a Lower Manhattan bike path on Tuesday afternoon, blocks away from the World Trade Center site, the NYPD said. He also hit a school bus and injured two adults and two children at the site of the crash. The suspect then exited the vehicle brandishing two handguns – later identified as a paint ball gun and a pellet gun – and was shot by the NYPD Officer Ryan Nash when he refused to put down the fake firearms. Police took the suspect into custody and transported him to a local hospital with a bullet wound to the abdomen. Saipov was listed as being in critical condition, but is expected to survive.
Witnesses said the suspect had yelled “Allahu Akbar,” which means “God is great” in Arabic, law enforcement sources told CNN. The phrase has often been used by terrorists before committing an attack.
Six people were reported as being killed at the scene. Two others were reported dead on arrival at local hospitals following transportation there. All of the 11 injured sustained serious, but not life-threatening injuries.
“This was an act of terror and a particularly cowardly act of terror,” said New York Mayor William diBlasio at a news conference after the event alongside New York Governor Mario Cuomo.
A knife was found and a note left behind in the cab of the truck stated that the acts were being made in support of Daesh, also known as ISIS. “ISIS lives forever,” was reported to have been written, authorities said.
Saipov was reported to have been living in Patterson, New Jersey for the past six months, according to news sources. He was not listed on any federal watch lists as a suspected terrorist, which is why authorities believe this was a “lone wolf” attack. Saipov arrived in the United States in 2010 and first lived in Ohio before moving to Tampa, FL. He was reported to have moved to New Jersey in the past six months.
Uber acknowledged Saipov had been working as one of its drivers and had passed their background checks. The company has been cooperating with authorities, stating that Saipove has now been banned from using its app.
