Yesterday Times Square was shocked as a driver mounted the sidewalk and ploughed into a crowd of people.
According to early reports there are multiple casualties. The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) have said there are 13 injured; however, other sources have reported more than 20. One person died in the attack.
The victim has been named as 18-year-old Alyssa Elman, a tourist who was visiting New York from Michigan. Her sister is also reported to have been injured in the attack.
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Elman was in Manhattan as part of a holiday with her friend and mother. Her boyfriend Trevor West told the New York Post how she had meant 'everything to him', but he 'knew something horrible happened' when she didn't respond to a text he had sent.
"She motivated me, loved me, gave me everything I needed that I couldn't give myself. And now that she's gone I don't know how I'm going to fill that void," he said.
"I don't know how I'm going to function without her ever again."
Prior to the car crashing into the crowd of people Elman had posted a video to her Instagram account - a 'Boomerang' clip of the square itself.
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It was posted at 11.12am, just 45 minutes before the incident.
Credit: Instagram
After the crash the NYPD told CBS news the crash does not appear to be terrorism-related. The 26-year-old driver has been arrested and has a 'history of arrests for impaired driving', the news outlet reported.
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The man responsible was identified as Richard Rojas, the New York Post reports. Rojas, from the Bronx, has reportedly been arrested twice before for driving while under the influence. He was escorted into a police car where he was tested for alcohol, a source told the paper.
According to sources, Rojas told police: "You were supposed to shoot me! I wanted to kill them."
An eyewitness told the paper: "He was driving like a madman and screaming. It looked like he was trying to hit people. He had the angriest, craziest face, and he was literally going after people."
Rojas was taken into custody, however sources told the Post he wasn't drunk, although he does have previous convictions for driving while under the influence.
According to CNN, a law enforcement source confirmed Rojas tested positive for PCP, which can cause hallucinations, make users feel confused and alter mood. He is also reported to have said God made him do it.
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He has been charged with one count of murder, 20 counts of attempted murder and five of aggravated vehicular homicide, the Daily Mail reports.
Source: The Daily Mail, CNN, The New York Post, and CBS News
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/FacebookTopics: Crash
