“Life must go on.” That was the theme of the night in New York City, with Mayor Bill De Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo urging New Yorkers to carry on with their activities as usual in the wake of the horror that took place earlier in the day. As such, extra security was provided for the night’s annual scheduled Halloween Parade, and indeed, tens of thousands of marchers and spectators turned out — but not the hundreds of thousands that were expected.
U.S. President Donald Trump unleashed a veritable Twitterstorm Tuesday night following the deadliest attack to strike New York City since the “9/11” Al Qaeda terrorist attack on New York’s World Trade Center in 2001.
The president offered his “thoughts, condolences and prayers” to the victims and families targeted in the attack, and said “God and your country are with you!”
My thoughts, condolences and prayers to the victims and families of the New York City terrorist attack. God and your country are with you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
Sayfullo Saipov, 29, was identified by New York City law enforcement officials as the suspect taken into custody following a wild drive with a rented white Home Depot truck down a bike path on the West Side Highway.
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)
Eight people were killed and at least 11 others were injured in the attack. Saipov rammed his truck into a yellow school bus close to nearby Stuyvesant High School, where classes had just ended for the day and students were leaving the building.
The suspect exited the truck and was shot by police, who then took him into custody and transported him to Bellevue Hospital, where he underwent surgery for gunshot wounds. An unzipped black bag fell out of the cab of the truck when he stepped out of the vehicle, according to Fox News, and a large knife in a leather sheath dropped from the bag.
Saipov is an Uzbek national who came to the United States in 2010 under a “diversity visa” lottery program, which provided him with a Green Card. He has been a resident of Tampa, Florida. He was arrested in Missouri in 2016 for a traffic-related violation, and was known to be living part-time in Passaic, New Jersey. According to Fox News, he was said to have a wife and two children, living in New Jersey.
It’s not clear when or how Saipov was radicalized; but he left handwritten notes in the truck pledging his allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist organization, and saying he was carrying out the attack in the name of ISIS. “We must not allow ISIS to return, or enter, our country after defeating them in the Middle East and elsewhere. Enough!” Trump tweeted in response to that news.
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)