Terror Strikes The Big Apple
New York City suffered its deadliest terror attack since September 11, 2001, when terrorists flew planes into the Twin Towers.
The man suspected of carrying out this attack is 29 year-old Sayfullo Saipov, a citizen of Uzbekistan. Saipov's brazen attack was perpetrated in broad daylight just a few blocks from Freedom Tower (rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan). Saipov rented a truck from a Passaic, New Jersey Home Depot. He turned onto a bike path along the Hudson River at 3:05pm at the Houston Street entrance.
Saipov ran over pedestrians on the crowded path as he plowed south unabated for nearly 20 blocks. He then veered the truck left and crashed into a school bus at the Chambers Street intersection. According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), "At approximately 3:05pm a 29 y/o male drove a rented Home Depot truck onto the bike/pedestrian path at West St/Houston St driving south." The collision with the school bus injured two students.
After the collision, the attacker then exited the vehicle with a paintball gun and pellet gun. Terror analysts presume this action indicated his intention was to be killed at the culmination of the attack. Saipov was then shot in the abdomen by NYPD, taken into custody, and hospitalized for emergency surgery. Authorities indicate that Saipov left a note in the truck that claimed the attack was done in the name of ISIS.
Multiple law enforcement sources informed the press that during the attack, Saipov was yelling "allahu akbar." The reports of Saipov yelling 'allahu akbar' is likely what prompted New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to call this attack an "act of terror."
Saipov survived the gun shot wound and is being interrogated by the F.B.I. and NYPD working in concert to investigate the attack. With the death toll expected to rise, stay tuned for updates.
