Gina George/
At least eight people were confirmed dead and several others injured today in New York City, when a man in a rented truck drove onto a busy bicycle and jogging path, near the World Trade Center memorial.
Reports say the driver was then shot by police after jumping out with what turned out to be two fake guns.
A police officer told AP that the attack was being investigated as a possible act of terrorism. The officer was not authorized to discuss the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.
A suspect was apprehended at the scene. Multiple law enforcement officials told ABC News that the suspect in custody was identified as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov of Tampa, Florida.
The suspect is reported to have screamed “Allah Akbar” after the crash, and that is a key reason authorities are looking at terrorism as a possible motive, sources said.
New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio, described the attack as a “cowardly act of terror”.
According to the Police, the vehicle, a rented Home Depot truck, entered the bike path on West Street a few blocks from the World Trade Center memorial and struck at least 15 people, leaving mangled bicycles behind. At least two bodies could be seen lying on the path beneath tarps.
A man who was riding in an Uber along the West Side Highway near Chambers Street said he saw several bleeding people on the ground after the truck struck several people. Another witness said the truck had also collided with a small bus and one other vehicle.
Tom Gay, a school photographer, was on Warren Street and heard people saying there was an accident. He went down to West Street and a woman came around the corner shouting, “He has a gun! He has a gun!”
Gay said he stuck his head around the corner and saw a slender man in a blue track suit running southbound on West Street holding a gun. He said there was a heavyset man pursuing him.
He said he heard five or six shots and the man in the tracksuit fell to the ground, gun still raised in the air. He said a man came over and kicked the gun out of his hand.
Uber driver, Chen Yi, said he saw a truck plow into people on a popular bike path adjacent to the West Side Highway. He added that he then heard seven to eight shots and then police pointing a gun at a man kneeling on the pavement.
“I saw a lot of blood over there. A lot of people on the ground,” Yi said.
His passenger, Dmitry Metlitsky, said he also saw police standing near a man who was on his knees with his hands up, and another man bleeding on the ground nearby. He said the truck had also collided with a small school bus and one other vehicle.
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