U.S. To Seek Death Penalty For Suspect In Bike Path Terror Attack
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – New information on 2017's deadly West Side Highway bike path terror attack.
Federal prosecutors have confirmed that the U.S. Justice Department will seek the death penalty for 30-year-old suspect Sayfullo Saipov.
The horrific scene unfolded on Halloween last year in Lower Manhattan when Saipov allegedly drove a rented pickup truck into cyclists and runners along the bike path. Eight people were killed and nearly a dozen more were injured.
MORE: Witnesses Describe Horror Of Deadly Terror Attack On West Side Bike Path
Prosecutors accuse Saipov of being an ISIS sympathizer.
The terror suspect's defense attorney attempted to have capital punishment taken off the table after President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Saipov's possible execution on a tweet.
Government filings released Friday declared that the deadly rampage met the legal standards for prosecutors to seek the death penalty.
The trial is expected to begin Oct. 7, 2019.