Terror attack kills at least 8 in Manhattan
The terror suspect was identified as 29-year-old Uzbek national Sayfullo Saipov who moved to Tampa, Florida in the US seven years ago.
Emergency crews attend the scene of an alleged shooting incident on West Street in Manhattan, New York, US, October 31 2017.
At least eight people were killed and 12 injured after a motorist drove onto a busy bicycle path near the World Trade Centre memorial and struck several people, then emerged from the vehicle screaming and firing something that appeared to be a gun.
The terror suspect was identified as 29-year-old Uzbek national Sayfullo Saipov who moved to Tampa, Florida in the US seven years ago.
Uber also confirmed that Saipov was one of their drivers.
In a statement released, the ride-hailing service said Saipov had passed a background check to become an Uber driver and had been actively driving on the platform for more than six months.
He has since been banned from the app.
The company says it reached out to law enforcement to provide its full assistance and is "aggressively and quickly reviewing" the suspect's history with Uber.
Uber says it is "horrified by this senseless act of violence."
From among those killed, at least five were from Argentina and one from Belgium.
Both countries confirmed that their citizens were also among the injured.
TRT World spoke to Frank Ucciardo is in New York a few blocks away from the scene of the attack.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene of a white pickup truck hitting bicyclists on a path near the World Trade Centre and then slamming into a school bus.
They say the driver got out of his vehicle brandishing what appeared to be a gun in each hand.
NYPD Commissioner James P. O'Neill says driver who was a 29-year-old male armed with paintball gun and pellet gun, was shot in the abdomen by a uniformed officer.
The New York Police Department posted on its Twitter feed that the man was in custody.
New York City's Mayor Bill de Blasio says the truck attack in lower Manhattan was a "cowardly" act of terror.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called it a "lone wolf" attack.
He says there's no evidence to suggest it was part of a wider plot.
Terror will not change New York, we will go forward stronger together. #Manhattan
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) October 31, 2017
Trump
US President Donald Trump, a New York native, was briefed by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and later posted his comments on Twitter.
He called the attacker 'deranged' and said ISIS (Daesh) should not be allowed to enter the US.
We must not allow ISIS to return, or enter, our country after defeating them in the Middle East and elsewhere. Enough!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2017
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.!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2017
TRT World spoke to former US Army Intelligence Officer Andrew Peek who gave an analysis if the attack.
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