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

Group of men and women seated in a circle around a room as one woman stands and leads discussion.
PatrolApril 9, 2026

Warriors Heart’s Mission to Serve America’s Veterans and First Responders

Warriors Heart works closely with federal and community partners to expand treatment options for veterans and first responders. By combining specialized clinical care with a peer-driven recovery environment, the program helps warriors rebuild strength, restore relationships, and rediscover purpose.

Read More →
Black background with police card lights and logo for POLICE, with headline in yellow: How are LE Boots Different for Women
Patrolby Wayne ParhamApril 9, 2026

How are LE Boots Different for Women?

Boots fit differently for men and women, so how are law enforcement boots for women designed differently from those worn by men? In this video, Kyle Ferdyn, of Garmont Tactical, shares all the details.

Read More →
Man standing in desert talking on radio.
PatrolApril 9, 2026

Motorola Solutions Extends Resilient, Mission-Critical Communications and AI with T-Satellite from T-Mobile

A collaboration between Motorola Solutions and T-Mobile helps deliver uninterrupted situational awareness and access to AI wherever the mission leads, enabled by satellite connectivity for Motorola Solutions' APX NEXT smart radios.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Las Vegas skyline at dusk with headline 2026 Vision FirstNet Users Summit, dates for the event, and diagonally at bottom right words Registration Open.
PatrolApril 9, 2026

Registration Now Open for 2026 Vision FirstNet Users Summit

Registration is now open for the 2026 Vision FirstNet Users Summit. The Summit is an opportunity to connect with local and federal leaders, specifically the FirstNet Authority, which is hosting a track at the event this year.

Read More →
Two chest rig packs in camo in front of a blue themed SWAT background and a logo for Tasmanian Tiger.
PatrolApril 6, 2026

Tasmanian Tiger Launches Modular Chest Rig 4xM4 & Modular Chest Rig Pack for LE

Tasmanian Tiger has expanded its Modular Load-Carrying System with the new Modular Chest Rig 4xM4 and Modular Chest Rig Pack. Both provide adaptable, low-profile load options for military, law enforcement, and SWAT missions.

Read More →
Security worker watching computer monitors, with a white area at top with a logo for ZeroEyes.
PatrolApril 2, 2026

ZeroEyes Expands from AI Gun Detection to Knife Detection & Suspect Tracking

ZeroEyes has launched three new product categories to extend beyond firearms to address additional acute safety threats and basic security needs. Knife detection and suspect tracking are now also available.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
GALLS logo against a white box set atop a blue-tinted map of Tennessee.
PatrolApril 2, 2026

GALLS Acquires CMS Uniforms

GALLS has acquired CMS Uniforms and Equipment, Inc., a prominent regional provider based in Nashville, Tennessee. CMS Uniforms, founded in 2000, has built a reputation for delivering stellar customer service and managing complex uniform programs for more than 670 accounts.

Read More →
Police drone hovering over its charging nest against a blue sky background.
PatrolMarch 26, 2026

Brinc Unveils Guardian, Launching the Next Era of Drone as First Responder

Brinc’s new Guardian delivers 24/7 operations, Starlink connectivity, and a robotic charging nest that can swap batteries and change payload configurations without human intervention.

Read More →
image of trooper, shown from waist down, standing beside a police cruiser along the road and at right a headline Slow Down Move Over.
PatrolMarch 19, 2026

Colorado State Patrol Releases 2025 Struck-By Analysis

The Colorado State Patrol, after analyzing its 2025 struck-by incidents, identified one area for improvement: using traffic cones to provide advanced warning before the cruiser's location. Here is the agency’s final data.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Image of a group of men in business attire receiving an award set against a black background and a Streamlight logo up top.
PatrolMarch 19, 2026

Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year

Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.

Read More →