Police Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Driver in NYC Truck Attack Had Been Planning for Weeks, Police Say

The driver who sped down a crowded bike path in New York City on Tuesday, killing eight people, had been planning the attack for weeks and appeared to have connections to people who were the subjects of terrorism investigations.

November 1, 2017
Driver in NYC Truck Attack Had Been Planning for Weeks, Police Say

Sayfullo Saipov has been charged with federal terrorism offenses. (Photo: St. Charles Department of Corrections)

3 min to read


Sayfullo Saipov has been charged with federal terrorism offenses in connection with Tuesday's attack in New York City in which eight people were killed, according to a charging document from the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Saipov, a 29-year-old Uzbek national who was living in New Jersey, is charged with providing material support to ISIS and violence and destruction of motor vehicles.

Saipov rented a truck similar to the one used in the attack several times over the course of the last several weeks in order to be familiar with operating it, a law enforcement official tells CNN.

Ad Loading...

He was said to be in critical but stable condition after Officer Ryan Nash of the New York Police Department shot him in the abdomen following the Halloween assault. But he was reportedly celebrating the deadly attack, rejoicing in his room at Bellevue Hospital, sources told the New York Daily News Wednesday.

"He's talking. He's laughing. He's very happy with what he did," said a source who was briefed by a hospital staffer on the floor. "He feels accomplished." A second source said Saipov, in his interviews with investigators, showed "no remorse" and was "glad that he did what he set out to do."

The driver who sped down a crowded bike path in New York City on Tuesday, killing eight people, had been planning the attack for weeks and appeared to have connections to people who were the subjects of terrorism investigations, police officials said on Wednesday, reports the New York Times.

As counterterrorism investigators drilled into whether the attacker had meaningful ties to terrorist organizations, it also became clear that some of those close to the attacker had feared for years that he was heading down the path of extremism.

Saipov rented a pickup truck from a Home Depot in New Jersey at 2:06 p.m. on Tuesday before crossing into Manhattan on the George Washington Bridge, the police said in the first public timeline provided by authorities. At 3:04 p.m., a camera caught him driving onto a bike path alongside the Hudson River, where the police said he appeared to be targeting pedestrians and cyclists as he mowed people down.

Ad Loading...

After crashing into a school bus near Stuyvesant High School in Lower Manhattan, he jumped out with a pellet gun and a paintball gun and shouted, "Allahu akbar," Arabic for "God is great," the authorities said. Investigators found a number of knives in and around the truck, the police said. And near the truck was a handwritten note with a few lines of Arabic indicating allegiance to the Islamic State, law enforcement officials said.

"He appears to have followed almost exactly to a 'T' the instructions that ISIS has put out in its social media channels before with instructions to their followers on how to carry out such an attack," John Miller, NYPD deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism, said on Wednesday, CNN reports CNN.

More Patrol

POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips video series graphic featuring a Garmont Tactical Contact Collection duty boot against a police vehicle with flashing lights. Includes “Watch Now” callout for the video series.
Patrolby Wayne ParhamJuly 9, 2026

Garmont Tactical Contact Collection: New Duty Boots for Law Enforcement

Choosing the right duty boot can make a significant difference during long shifts. In this video overview, Kyle Ferdyn, of Garmont Tactical, introduces the new Contact Collection, designed specifically for law enforcement professionals seeking comfort, traction, and durability.

Read More →
Benchmade Bailout folding knife with a bronze tanto blade, taiga green handle, and orange accents displayed open against a textured black background, highlighting its lightweight tactical design.
PatrolJuly 9, 2026

Benchmade Launches Taiga Green Bailout

Benchmade has launched its Taiga Green Bailout, which features an anodized aluminum handle, S90V stainless steel, and Burnt Copper hardware accents.

Read More →
Composite image of ADEPT's Nova Titanium tactical helmet, showing front and side views alongside a soldier wearing the helmet in the field, highlighting lightweight ballistic protection for military and tactical applications.
PatrolJuly 9, 2026

Adept Armor Launches the Nova Titanium Combat Helmet: A Metal Ballistic Helmet at Composite-Helmet Weight

Adept Armor said its new Nova Titanium combat helmet delivers rated 9mm protection at 920 grams all-in, low backface deformation, edge-to-edge coverage, and an indefinite shelf life at roughly a quarter the price of premium polyethylene helmets.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Two healthcare professionals model 5.11 medical scrubs—one in gray and one in blue—against a blurred hospital background, highlighting the brand’s professional apparel for medical workers.
PatrolJuly 2, 2026

5.11 Expands Professional Services Line with Premium, Performance-Driven Scrubs Designed for Healthcare Professionals

The launch of high-performance medical scrubs marks another major expansion of 5.11’s growing Professional Services category, enabling hospitals and healthcare systems to outfit a wide range of roles.

Read More →
Close-up of a black SOG Seal FX knife featuring a commemorative 250th anniversary engraving on the blade, displayed on an American flag to honor the United States' semiquincentennial.
PatrolJuly 2, 2026

SOG Knives Unveils 250th Anniversary Limited Edition Fixed Blade

SOG Knives has debuted its 250th Anniversary Limited Edition SEAL FX Fixed Blade, and only 250 are available. It features an advanced 4.3-inch S35VN steel blade and a tough glass-reinforced nylon handle.

Read More →
Close-up of a slim black Streamlight Wedge SL flashlight resting on an olive tactical vest with a black-and-gray American flag patch, its LED illuminated to showcase the compact everyday carry design.
Patrolby Wayne ParhamJune 25, 2026

POLICE Product Test: Streamlight Wedge SL

The Streamlight Wedge SL is a high-performance light for inspection or administrative tasks that features USB-C charging and an output up to 500 lumens in a compact package.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Graphic recognizing Officer Michael Jaycox of the San Jose (CA) Police Department as Officer of the Month for May 2026, featuring his uniformed portrait beside a badge-and-rose emblem.
PatrolJune 25, 2026

NLEOMF Officer of the Month Saved Child from Burning Vehicle

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund named Officer Michael Jaycox of the San Jose Police Department (California) as the Officer of the Month for May 2026. Read more about Jaycox’s heroic actions.

Read More →
Promotional image for Garmont Tactical’s Contact Collection featuring black tactical boots displayed in front of a police vehicle with flashing red and blue emergency lights. Text announces the new collection and notes it is now available.
PatrolJune 24, 2026

Garmont Tactical Introduces the Contact Collection for LE

Garmont Tactical has launched its Contact Collection, a new lineup of law-enforcement duty boots featuring 4-inch and 6-inch options, including waterproof models.

Read More →
Graphic celebrating 1,613 Folds of Honor graduates, featuring graduation books, a diploma, a mortarboard cap, the Folds of Honor logo, and an inset photo of a graduate standing in front of a campus building.
PatrolJune 11, 2026

Folds of Honor Celebrates Graduation Season as 1,613 Military and First Responder Family Scholars Earn Their Degrees

Every Folds of Honor scholar graduating in the Class of 2026 carries a story starting with sacrifice. Folds of Honor ensures it doesn’t end there. Since 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded nearly 73,000 educational scholarships to military and first responder families.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Graphic for a POLICE Magazine article on Tennessee’s new deadly force law, featuring Lady Justice, handcuffs, a Tennessee map with Nashville highlighted, and the headline “Impact of New Deadly Force Law.”
Patrolby David StephensJune 4, 2026

Why Tennessee’s New Deadly Force Law Matters Beyond Tennessee

Tennessee’s new deadly force law is more limited than many may realize. Effective July 1, 2026, the law applies to a person who is not engaged in conduct that would constitute a felony or a Class A misdemeanor and who is in a place where the person lawfully resides. But it could have far-reaching influence.

Read More →