The attack is considered the deadliest act of terror in New York City since the 9/11 attacks in 2001. The assaulter has been recognized as Sayfullo Saipov, a 29-year-old truck driver who had lived in Tampa, Florida and recently moved to Paterson, New Jersey.
Manhattan Attack
The terror act took place about 3:05 p.m. local time, when a man drove a truck nearly a mile down a bike path in Manhattan. He managed to drive about 20 blocks, killing eight people and injuring 22 with serious but not life-threatening wounds. The suspected attacker was shot by the police and taken to a hospital.
The President also expressed his condolences to the victims and their families.
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has called the assault an act of terror, thus confirming the earlier media reports citing police that the accident was being investigated as a terrorist attack. There is still no indication from authorities that Saipov was connected to any kind of a terror cell inside the country. As eyewitnesses claim, he was shouting "Allahu Akbar" ("God is Great" in Arabic) after he stepped out of the car. A number of police reports citing senior police officials say that there was also a handwritten note pledging allegiance to Daesh in the truck.
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