Halloween in Manhattan, New York was truly a day of horror after a rental truck driven by a 29-year-old man plowed through a crowd along the Hudson River in Lower Manhattan in New York City. The attack, which is considered the second biggest since the World Trade Centre disaster, killed eight people, with eleven in critical condition. It has been identified that five of the people that died were friends from Argentina celebrating a graduation anniversary. One was a Belgian woman and the other two remain unidentified.

The suspect, New Jersey resident Sayfullo Saipov, who is an immigrant from Uzbekistan and a father of three, has been planning the attack for a number of weeks because he was apparently inspired by the acts of ISIS, according to John Miller, the New York deputy police commission for intelligence and counter-terrorism. One of his phones investigated by the law enforcement contained ISIS propaganda photos and a note near the scene has also been found which says in both Arabic and English that the Islamic state would endure.  However, there are currently no evidence regarding his connection to terrorist groups.

Image courtesy Dhaka Tribune

Saipov appeared in federal court and was charged with offenses including "providing material support to ISIS, violence and destruction of motor vehicles." President Trump asserts that he should be executed.

Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to the families of the victims.

By: Franz Tabora