US President Donald Trump has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to “step up” vetting measures, after a deadly truck attack in New York.
Eight people were killed and 11 injured when the driver of the truck hit people on a cycle path in Lower Manhattan.
Five Argentines were among the dead.
A 29-year-old man was shot by police as he left the car, and detained. Media named him as Sayfullo Saipov, an Uzbek immigrant who came to the US in 2010.
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Officials said it was a terror attack.
The suspect is now in a hospital. A note was found in the truck that referred to so-called Islamic State, law enforcement sources were quoted as saying by US media.
Sayfullo Saipov had been arrested in Missouri last year over a traffic fine.
Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the incident in Manhattan was a “cowardly act of terror aimed at innocent civilians”.
“We know that this action was intended to break our spirit.
“But we also know that New Yorkers are strong, New Yorkers are resilient and our spirit will never be moved by an act of violence and an act meant to intimidate us,” he said.
Police urged people to avoid the usually busy area as a major emergency services operation got under way.
How did the attack unfold?
At a news briefing, New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner James O’Neill described what had occurred:
- Shortly after 15:00 local time (19:00 GMT), a white pick-up truck rented from retailer Home Depot struck cyclists and pedestrians while being driven along the West St-Houston St path for many blocks
- The vehicle then hit a school bus, injuring two adults and two children on board, and came to a halt
- The driver emerged holding what appeared to be two handguns and made a statement “consistent with a terror attack”
- He was shot in the abdomen by a police officer stationed near the scene
- A paintball gun and a pellet gun were recovered from the scene
The suspect reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” (“God is great”) as he left the truck.
He was then shot and injured in the stomach by a police officer, the NYPD said.
Mangled bicycles littered the scene of the attack, which occurred as much of the city was celebrating Halloween.
