New York Truck Attack Victims Identified: Names, Ages and Everything We Know About What Happened on Halloween in Manhattan

  • A suspect drove a truck into cyclists and pedestrians in Lower Manhattan, killing eight and injuring 11.
  • Police shot and injured the suspect, who is now in custody.
  • The suspect has been named as Sayfullo Saipov, a 29-year-old migrant from Uzbekistan who came to the United States legally in 2010.
  • President Donald Trump condemned the attack and said he had ordered Homeland Security to tighten vetting measures.

The deadliest militant attack in New York City since 9/11 has claimed the lives of eight people and injured 11 more.

Uzbek national Sayfullo Saipov reportedly drove his truck along a cycle path in Lower Manhattan on Monday, ploughing into cyclists and pedestrians before colliding with a school bus. Police shot the suspect, who is now in custody.

Five of the victims were friends from Argentina on a trip to New York, the Argentine foreign ministry has confirmed. One of those who died was a Belgian woman, while the identities of the other two dead have not yet been released.

0111_New_York_victims
Investigators inspect a truck following an attack in which a truck was driven into pedestrians and cyclists on a cycle path in lower Manhattan in New York on October 31. DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty

The Argentine friends

In a statement, the Argentine foreign ministry confirmed the identities of five of its citizens who lost their lives in the attack: Hernán Diego Mendoza, Diego Enrique Angelini, Alejandro Damián Pagnucco, Ariel Erlij and Hernán Ferruchi.

The statement said that a sixth Argentinian man, Martin Ludovico Marro, was injured in the attack and was recovering at the Presbyterian Hospital of Manhattan. All the men are reportedly aged 48 or 49.

The statement said that the group were friends from the city of Rosario and were in New York for a school reunion, celebrating the 30th anniversary of their graduation from a Rosario polytechnic.

"The consulate general continues working in permanent contact with the police authorities and the hospital that received the affected, as well as with the relatives in Argentina. We accompany the families in this terrible moment of deep pain, which all Argentines share," said the statement in Spanish.

Nuestras más sinceras condolencias por el fallecimiento de Hernán Mendoza, Diego Angelini, Alejandro Pagnucco, Ariel Erlij y Hernán Ferruchi pic.twitter.com/CdDAAEUDep

— Cancillería Argentina 🇦🇷 (@CancilleriaARG) November 1, 2017

The five victims were part of a group of 10 friends who left Rosario on Saturday afternoon for the trip to New York, Argentina's La Nación newspaper reported. The group stayed at the house of Marro—who lives in Boston—before traveling to New York on Tuesday for a bike ride.

Erlij, who was 48, was a businessman in the steel industry and helped pay for the group's travel. Angelini and Ferruchi were both architects, according to La Nación.

Argentina's President Mauricio Macri tweeted that he was "profoundly moved by the tragic deaths this afternoon in NY. We place ourselves at the disposition of the families of the Argentinian victims."

Profundamente conmovido por las trágicas muertes de esta tarde en NY. Nos ponemos a disposición de los familiares de las víctimas argentinas

— Mauricio Macri (@mauriciomacri) November 1, 2017

The Belgian woman

The Belgian government confirmed that one of its citizens was among the dead. Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, who is also Belgium's deputy prime minister, announced on Twitter that he was "deeply saddened" to confirm that a Belgian was among the victims.

I am deeply saddened to announce a belgian victim in #Manhattan - I express my condolences to the family and friends 🇧🇪🇺🇸

— Didier Reynders (@dreynders) October 31, 2017

Reynders later said that the victim was a woman from Roeselare, a city in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The victim had been visiting New York with her sister and mother, Reynders said.

The foreign minister also said that three Belgians were among those injured in the attack.

Trois belges ont également été blessés à #Manhattan et sont en salle d’opération. Notre consulat général va leur apporter son aide. 🇧🇪🇺🇸

— Didier Reynders (@dreynders) November 1, 2017

Uncommon Knowledge

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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Conor is a staff writer for Newsweek covering Africa, with a focus on Nigeria, security and conflict.

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