U-Haul's "rampage" in Brooklyn kills at least 1, injures 8, police say
One person was killed and at least eight others, including a police officer, were injured when a U-Haul truck hit pedestrians in a Brooklyn neighborhood Monday morning, CBS New York reported.
New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell called it a "violent rampage."
The truck crashed into pedestrians, cyclists and the responding police officer at seven locations in the Bay Ridge neighborhood, Sewell told reporters at an afternoon news conference.
Police said Monday night that a 44-year-old man had succumbed to his injuries and one of those injured was in critical condition, CBS New York said.
A suspect taken into custody has been identified as Weng Sor, 62, two sources told CBS News senior investigative producer Pat Milton. The suspect, who has a Nevada driver's license, rented the truck in Daytona Beach, Florida, in January, according to the sources. The suspect may have been living out of the truck, according to the sources.
CBS Las Vegas affiliate KLAS-TV reports that he lived in Las Vegas and served prison time for stabbing his brother and stabbed a roommate in a separate incident.
During the briefing, Sewell confirmed that the suspected driver was taken into custody near the entrance to the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, which goes to New Jersey, after carrying out "a violent rampage through Brooklyn." Police vehicles and ambulances were seen surrounding the truck, which was parked on a sidewalk.
Investigators don't know if the series of attacks was intentional, Sewell told reporters.
"At this time, we have no indication that there is any terrorism involvement in this incident," the police commissioner said. "However, as always, we will continue to investigate this incident with the full resources of NYPD."
Emergency response crews had rushed to the intersection of Bay Ridge Parkway and 5th Avenue, CBS New York reported, as the station streamed live video from above the scene.
The U-Haul box truck had evaded a traffic stop near the intersection, the New York Police Department said in an earlier statement to CBS News.
At least one person struck by the U-Haul was a pedestrian, according to the NYPD, which described three other injured individuals as moped operators.
Authorities pursued the U-Haul truck after receiving reports of the vehicle striking people, Sewell said. It was unclear whether the intersection at Bay Ridge Parkway and 5th Avenue was the last site where the truck hit pedestrians.
The U-Haul driver attempted to flee the scene after the collision before police were able to box in the vehicle several blocks away, CBS New York reported. He allegedly rammed two police cars and temporarily escaped. Officials confirmed that he was arrested shortly after.
Police closed down the area immediately surrounding the Bay Ridge intersection where the incident occurred, and CBS New York reported that the NYPD bomb squad had arrived to examine the U-Haul as a precaution.
New York City Councilman Justin Brannan, whose district includes Bay Ridge, responded to the incident on Twitter.
"A man driving a U-Haul went on a rampage in Bay Ridge. He was just apprehended in Sunset Park. Several people were hit and badly injured. We have no idea of motives at this time but this wasn't an accident," Brannan wrote. In a subsequent tweet, the councilman said that the suspect "was actually arrested near the BK Battery Tunnel," adding, "at least 6 people" are now suspected to have been hit by the U-Haul, with two "in very bad shape."
-- Brian Dakss contributed reporting.
