New York - The man who allegedly ran down cyclists and pedestrians along 17 Manhattan blocks pledged his allegiance to ISIS before his attack, reports say. Police sources say Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, 29, entered a bicycle path at Houston Street at 3.05pm and drove downtown, knocking down victims before smashing into a school bus at Chambers Street, exiting and shouting 'Allahu Akbar'. He then waved a paintball gun in one hand and a pellet gun in the other, and was shot in the abdomen by a police officer. He has now come out of surgery and police are waiting for him to wake up before they question him. Images of ISIS flags were found in his truck, as well as handwritten notes pledging his allegiance to the terrorist group, insiders told the New York Post. As the horrific toll - currently at eight dead and at least 15 injured, including one child in critical condition - climbed up, details began to emerge about Saipov's life. He was an Uzbekistan native who had lived in the US for seven years and ran two trucking companies located in Ohio, sources claim. He was also said to be a friendly Uber driver who was good with kids - and did not like people taking his photo. Saipov is originally from Uzbekistan, but immigrated to the US in 2010, and at the time of his arrest he was holding an identification card that listed his home as Tampa, Florida.
However police say that he was most recently living in Paterson, New Jersey. Investigators are now combing a Home Depot in Passaic, New Jersey, where he is believed to have picked up the truck and may have left his own vehicle. A white minivan was seen surrounded by police tape.(FA)
