foreign minister

5 Argentinians, Belgian Among Those Killed in Tribeca Truck Attack; German Injured

The suspect, Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, left a note in the truck saying he committed the attack for ISIS, sources said

Five Argentinians celebrating a graduation anniversary, a Belgian national and two Americans were killed when a truck sped through a bike lane for more than a dozen blocks Tuesday afternoon in an apparent ISIS-inspired attack. 

The Argentinian Consulate said in a tweet on Tuesday night that Hernán Mendoza, Diego Angelini, Alejandro Pagnucco, Ariel Erlij and Hernán Ferruchi were among those killed when a Home Depot truck plowed through crowds of cyclists and pedestrians along the Hudson River Greenway in Tribeca. The tweet said the group was in town to celebrate 30 years since they graduated college. 

A sixth Argentinian, Martín Ludovico Marro, is at New York-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital with injuries. Marro is a resident of Newton, Massachusetts, City Councilor James Cote confirmed to NBC Boston.

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said in a tweet Tuesday night that a Belgian national was also killed in the attack, and that three others were injured. He did not reveal the identity of the person who was killed or the others hurt in the attack.

"We now and forever will consider them New Yorkers. They shared this tragedy with us and for that we will always remember them as New Yorkers," Mayor de Blasio said Wednesday of the foreigners killed in the attack.

The two other people killed in the attack were Americans, but their identities have not been released. 

Of the nearly dozen people who were hurt, two were students and two were employees on the bus that Saipov smashed his truck into. The German government says a German citizen is among the injured. The Foreign Ministry didn't identify the female German citizen or give any details about the severity of her injuries in a note on its website Wednesday.

At a news briefing Wednesday, officials said three of the 12 injured survivors taken to hospitals had been released. Nine remained hospitalized; four had critical injuries but were listed in stable condition. The other five were in serious condition with injuries ranging from bilateral amputation to serious head, neck, back and chest trauma, as well as trauma to their arms and legs. 

The suspect, Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, left a note in the truck that translated to "ISIS Lives Forever," a senior official said. He was shot and detained by police as he ran through traffic with a pellet gun and a paintball gun but was expected to survive. 

Schools in the area were just letting out around that time, and parents and teachers rushed to get children back inside as they saw the suspect leaving the vehicle with the weapons.

Contact Us