8 dead after truck plows into people in New York City

In what New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called a "cowardly act of terror," a man driving a rental truck struck and killed eight people on a bike path Tuesday afternoon. The sprawling crime scene runs about 10 blocks along the West Side Highway, a few blocks away from One World Trade Center. Witness Andrew Howell said he was walking along the path when he saw a truck plow into two cyclists riding about 20 feet in front of him; he said the impact sent one of the victims straight up into the air, and the man was motionless when he landed back on the ground. The driver then continued at a high speed before crashing, Howell said. A uniformed police officer was credited with stopping the carnage.
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A suspect is in custody and was identified as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov of Tampa, Florida, multiple law enforcement officials told ABC News.  The suspect is reported to have screamed "Allahu Akbar" after the crash, and that is a key reason authorities are looking at terrorism as a possible motive, sources said. Saipov left a note saying he carried out the attack on behalf of ISIS, law enforcement officials tell ABC News.

The deadly incident began at about 3:05 p.m., when the 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, New York City police said. The crash occurred in an area near multiple city schools, and many were placed on a temporary lockdown after the crash. Six of the deceased victims were pronounced dead at the scene; two more died at a nearby hospital. Police said 13 were wounded with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The truck collided with a school bus on Chambers Street near Stuyvesant High School, injuring two school staff members and two children, police said. One of the students was in critical condition Tuesday night, according to New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina.