Police and witnesses say a motorist drove onto a busy bicycle path near the World Trade Center memorial in Manhattan and struck several people, then emerged from the vehicle screaming and brandishing imitation firearms.
Six people were killed in what was described as an intentional act, sources told CBS News. The NYPD tweeted that the driver exited the truck displaying the imitation firearms and was shot by police officers.
Law enforcement sources said the incident is being investigated as a terror attack, CBS News’ Pat Milton reports.
The incident occurred at West Street and Chambers Street around 3:10 p.m, CBS New York reported. The NYPD said on its Twitter account just before 3:30 p.m. that one person is in custody. The department isn’t looking for any other suspects, the station reported.
The NYPD said on Twitter there were “several fatalities and numerous people injured.” The department said it was unclear whether anyone was shot or whether the injured were all struck by the vehicle, which entered the pedestrian/bike path a few blocks north of Chambers St. The vehicle appeared to be a Home Depot rental truck.
“A vehicle drove straight down a bicycle path heading south in Manhattan just mowing everything down,” witness Greg Ahl told 1010 WINS. “It looks like a vehicle drove down the bicycle path and ran everything over.”
An Associated Press photographer on the scene Tuesday witnessed at least two bodies lying motionless on the path beneath tarps.
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