Last Updated Nov 1, 2017 4:14 AM EDT
Five Argentine nationals and a Belgian were among those killed when a man plowed into pedestrians and cyclists on a bike path in New York City, authorities said Tuesday.
CBS News identified the suspect as Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, who once worked as an Uber driver. Police shot the suspect after he exited the vehicle and shouted “Allahu Akbar” which means “God is great” in Arabic. He is currently in police custody and officials said they are investigating the incident as an act of terror.
The Argentine victims were identified as Hernán Diego Mendoza, Diego Enrique Angelini, Alejandro Damián Pagnucco, Ariel Erlij and Hernán Ferruchi. They were from the city of Rosario and were celebrating the 30th anniversary of their high school graduation, Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
One more person, Martín Ludovico Marro, is recovering at New York Presbyterian Hospital, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Marro is currently a resident of Newton, Mass., and was traveling with the five Argentine victims in NYC, CBS Boston reports. They were going to then travel to Boston, Newton Councilman and family friend Jim Cote told CBS Boston.
Belgium’s deputy spokesman of foreign affairs, Matthieu Branderssay, said a Belgian citizen died and three were injured and currently hospitalized. Their names have not yet been released.
Germany’s Foreign Ministry said early Wednesday that at least one German national was among the wounded.
The New York City Police Department confirmed early Wednesday morning that the total number of people injured in the attack stood at 11, unchanged from the night of the incident.
Officials told CBS News that 10 patients were treated at New York-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, including two people who died. CBS News’ Michelle Miller reported from Bellevue Hospital — about three miles from the crime scene near the World Trade Center — and said five patients were rushed to that hospital and two were taken immediately into surgery.
Miller said officials were being careful to identify the injured before releasing information. CBS News has learned that six people died at the scene.
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A woman is aided by first responders after sustaining injury on a bike path in lower Manhattan in New York on Tue., Oct. 31, 2017.
Reuters
President Trump called the attack “cowardly” and said “we must not allow ISIS to return, or enter, our country.”
In a longer statement, the White House said the Trump administration will “provide its full support to the New York City Police Department, including through a joint investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
First lady Melania Trump also tweeted about the incident, writing her “heart breaks for NYC.”
High school students in the area told CBS News’ DeMarco Morgan they heard gunshots and immediately took off running for safety when they saw what happen. They said they heard gunshots but weren’t sure if they were from police subduing the suspect.
Morgan reports there were also many children in their costumes trick or treating for Halloween in the area.
Witness Greg Ahl told CBS New York that the scene looked like the “vehicle drove down the bicycle path and ran everything over.”
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