A man driving a rental truck plowed into pedestrians and cyclists on a jogging and bike path in lower Manhattan in New York City Tuesday afternoon, killing at least eight people and injuring many others in what New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called a “cowardly act of terror.”
The sprawling crime scene runs about 10 blocks along the West Side Highway, a few blocks away from One World Trade Center.
The suspect, who was carrying a Florida ID, is in custody, police said. Authorities know who the suspect is and have begun looking into his background.
A vehicle — a Home Depot rental truck, according to the company — entered the West Street pedestrian and bike path north of Chambers Street, hitting multiple people on the path, leaving some dead and “numerous people injured,” New York City police said, citing preliminary investigation.
The vehicle kept driving south until it hit another vehicle, police said. At that point, the suspect, who was “displaying imitation firearms,” got out of the vehicle and was shot by responding officers, authorities said.
The suspect shouted something at police when officers confronted him, according to multiple sources.
A witness described the chaotic scene to ABC’s New York station WABC, saying that after the truck hit multiple people on the bike path, it crashed into a school bus at Chambers and West streets, near Stuyvesant High School.
“Everybody started running,” the witness said. “… Everything was happening so fast.”
The witness added of the driver, “He kept going all the way down full speed.”
“Thank god the trick-or-treaters weren’t out yet,” the witness later said.
Video from the scene showed mangled bicycles strewn across the bike path.
There is no active threat, according to the mayor’s press secretary.
The FBI is responding to the incident.
President Donald Trump has been briefed, according to a White House spokesperson. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI Director Christopher Wray have also been briefed.
This story is developing. Please check back for more updates.
ABC News’ Josh Margolin contributed to this report.
