Less than a year after the brutal attack on the Brooklyn subway, the New York City borough is dealign with another atrocity.
A man driving a U-Haul truck struck and injured several people in New York on Monday before police were able to pin the careening vehicle against a building following a mileslong pursuit through Brooklyn.
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Eyewitnesses said they saw pedestrians and e-bike riders sprawled on the ground after the truck drove through. At least eight people were hurt, including two people who were in critical condition, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said. One of those eight people was reportedly a police officer.
Sewell described the driver’s actions as a “violent rampage through Brooklyn” but said there was no evidence of “terrorism involvement.”
Authorities have acknowledged the possibility of a terrorist attack, but they’re also testing other explanations. For example, investigators told CNN that the suspect may have been living out of the trailer and may have been attempting to escape. They came to this theory after searching the U-Haul and finding some unspecified household items.
Other observers have described the incident as more than just a coincidence. “Several people were hit and badly injured. We have no idea of motives at this time, but this wasn’t an accident,” a New York City councilman tweeted.
Take a look —
A driver intentionally crashing into a taqueria in Jersey City after being refused alcohol.
Drivers targeting and dooring cyclists in the east bay.
A Uhaul driver intentionally mowing down pedestrians and moped riders in Brooklyn.
When will our elected leaders do anything?
— Tyler Newcomb (He/Him) (@tylernewcomb_) February 13, 2023
Multiple pedestrians were struck at three different locations in Bay Ridge by a U-Haul truck.
Police eventually caught up with the suspect and took him into custody.#Developing #Brooklyn #nypd #redhook #uhaul #BreakingNews #breaking #bayridge #nyc #ericadams #newyorkcity pic.twitter.com/A5wvDzT7j6— NY Actions (@NY_ACTIONS) February 13, 2023
Watch as NYPD executives provide an update on an active investigation. https://t.co/L5BogAY0sM
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) February 13, 2023
Police identified the suspect as a 62-year-old man, according to CNN. In a press conference, police stressed that all the information is “preliminary and subject to change as we continue to learn more.” A police representative added, “We are still reconstructing the events.”
The truck sped through the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, hitting people on a sidewalk at one point, before police stopped it more than 3 miles (5 kilometers) away near the entrance to a tunnel leading from Brooklyn to Manhattan.
Sewell said a suspect was in custody and that police were investigating seven scenes. She released few other details.
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A pastry shop owner, Pat Giura, said he didn’t see the truck but saw the aftermath: a woman on the ground with her scooter or e-bike destroyed and another person hurt blocks away.
Aerial video from news helicopters showed the truck on a sidewalk, its path blocked by a police cruiser. Authorities were examining the truck to make sure it didn’t contain explosives.
The incident coincided with the start of the death penalty phase in the trial of Sayfullo Saipov, an Islamic extremist who killed eight people in 2017 by mowing them down with a rented truck.
It was not clear whether the two events were related, and the New York City mayor’s office has ruled out the possibility of further threats.
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article.