New York terror: Eight dead after truck mows down crowd in 'cowardly' Manhattan attack

New York City Police confirmed a Home Depot rental
van drove the wrong way down a pedestrian and cycle
path alongside the West Side Highway at full speed,
hitting several people.
The truck then hit a school bus, which was carrying
two adults and two children.
Police sources say the driver Sayfullo Saipov, a Florida
resident who came to the US from Uzbek in 2010, then
allegedly screamed 'Allahu Akbar' and got out of the
vehicle. This has not been confirmed by authorities,
although the NYPD commissioner said the statement
made by the attacker when he exited the vehicle was
"consistent" with a terrorist attack.
He was armed with two weapons and began running
before being shot by police. The weapons later turned
out to be imitation firearms.
WATCH: The moment New York police 'shot down a
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Moment police
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One person has been taken into custody following the
incident in Lower Manhattan
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio described the
attack "cowardly act of terror aimed at innocent
civilians".
It comes as it emerged five friends from Argentina
were among the victims killed in the terror attack.
Diego Enrique Angelini, Hernán Diego
Mendoza, Alejandro Damian Pagnucco, Ariel Erlij and
Hernan Ferruch were in New York on a school reunion
to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their graduation
from a polytechnic college in the central city of
Rosário,
Witnesses reported hearing gunshots near Stuyvesant
High School, a top-ranked public New York City school,
at around 3pm local time on Tuesday afternoon
which were later revealed to be from a uniformed
police officer as he took down the attacker.
Bodies were pictured lying on the ground outside the
school in what police are now treating as a terror
attack.
President Trump tweeted: "In NYC, looks like another
attack by a very sick and deranged person. Law
enforcement is following this closely. NOT IN THE
U.S.A.!"
Sayfullah Habibullahevic Saipov is the suspected killer
He later followed the tweet with: "We must not allow
ISIS to return, or enter, our country after defeating
them in the Middle East and elsewhere. Enough!"
It is not yet clear whether the attacker had any links
to Islamic State.
He then added: "My thoughts, condolences and prayers
to the victims and families of the New York City
terrorist attack. God and your country are with you!"
In the UK, Prime Minister Theresa May said she is
"appalled by this cowardly attack" in New York City
and "my thoughts are with all affected."
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said it was a tragedy of
"the greatest magnitude".
READ MORE: New York attacker ‘swerved into special
needs school bus’
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio gives an update on the
situation
The van in this image is reported to have ploughed
into several people in Lower Manhattan
He told reporters: "The is a very painful day in our
city.
"This was an act of terror, a particularly cowardly act
of terror aimed at innocent civilians.
"We know that this action was intended to break our
spirit. But we also know that New Yorkers are strong,
New Yorkers are resilient and our spirit will never be
moved by an act of violence and an act meant to
intimidate us."
He called on the public to be vigilant as he revealed
more officers would be on New York streets in the
coming days.
The mayor added: "I want to ask all New Yorkers and
all Americans to keep the families of all those lost in
your prayers."
New York Police Commissioner James O’Neill
confirmed a 29-year-old male got out of the vehicle
after driving the wrong way down the bicycle path
and ploughing into several people before coming to a
halt after striking the school bus.
He was brandishing two handguns and an officer at
the scene “shot him in the abdomen”.
The guns were later revealed to be a “paintball gun
and a pellet gun”.
New York Governor Cuomo added there is no evidence
to suggest there is a wider plot, hinting this could be a
lone wolf-style attack.
The counter-terror unit urged people to avoid the West
Side Highway area while they deal with the incident.
The FBI has joined the New York City Police
Department in investigating the incident and President
Trump has been briefed.
The attacker was left injured in the incident and has
been taken into custody. His injuries are not thought
to be life-threatening.
John Williams, a 22-year-old student, told reporters at
the scene that he heard about five gunshots before
seeing a large man with curly being taken into
custody.
President Trump takes to Twitter as he reacts to the
atrocity
Emergency crews attend the scene on West Street in
Manhattan, New York
"He seemed very calm," Williams said. "He was not
putting up a fight."
Buildings were pit on lockdown and the bomb squad
arrived at the scene while details of the incident
remained unclear.
Images and videos have emerged revealed mangled
bicycles strewn across the popular New York cycle
path, which runs parallel to the West Side Highway on
the western edge of Manhattan along the Hudson
River.
One witness told News 4: “A guy got out with his biker
jacket and started shooting up the place.
"All the kids were in the courtyard at P.S. 89 and
started running.
"Then I saw the bus over there, all the kids went into
this building. I went to go help the driver of this
special ed bus, it looks like.
Armed police are on the scene and the President
Trump has been briefed
"I wasn't sure why he was so spaced out and then I
went to the other side, it was all caved on. A poor girl
was stuck right above the wheel well. There were two
kids that were just stuck by the window. It was all
blown out."
The New York Fire Department said officials responded
shortly after 3pm to reports of a mass casualty at
Chambers and West Streets, near where the school is
located.
The police say they are not looking for additional
suspects.
Emergency services attend to victims as authorities
battle to get the scene under control
Nearby buildings, including the inner city school, were
placed on lockdown
Singer Josh Groban also tweeted after hearing shots
while out walking his dog.
He tweeted: “Oh my god I just heard gun shots and ran
with my dog. Downtown. F***.
“I hope everyone’s ok. Was half a block from me,
didn’t see it but heard 8-10 quick rounds fired off. Be
safe with your kids out there.”

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