NY bike path rampage: What we know about the suspect

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Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Suspect in New York truck attack identified
Multiple law enforcement officials tell ABC News that the suspect in custody is identified as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov, from Tampa, Florida.

NEW YORK -- Details are emerging about the suspect who police say mowed down pedestrians in the bike lane of the West Side Highway in what is being investigated as a terror attack.

Multiple law enforcement officials tell ABC News that the suspect in custody is identified as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov, who had a driver's license from Tampa, Florida.

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Authorities believe he rented a white pickup truck from Home Depot and drove it into the bicycle path on West Street, along the West Side Highway, entering at Houston Street at 3:05 p.m. Police say he drove southbound, striking several pedestrians and bicyclists, before crashing into a school bus at Chambers Street, injuring two adults and two children.

He then exited the vehicle brandishing a paintball gun and a pellet gun and was shot by a police officer and taken into custody.

This photo shows him in police custody following the incident:

Authorities say he came to the United States seven years ago from Uzbekistan under what is called the Diversity Visa Program, which offers a lottery for people from countries with few immigrants in America. Sources tell ABC News that in addition to an address in Tampa, he also lived in Ohio and most recently, in Paterson, New Jersey. It is believed he rented the truck at a Home Depot in Passaic.

Our sister station in New York obtained video taken by a Stuyvesant High School student that shows the driver running erratically around in the street, in between passing cars, dressed in dark clothing and carrying the weapons.

Click here for full coverage on the truck attack in New York.