Brooklyn U-Haul truck crash - live: Driver apprehended after striking at least five in Bay Ridge ‘rampage’

Multiple pedestrians were struck by an out-of-control U-Haul truck in a series of hit-and-run crashes in Brooklyn.

The incident unfolded at around 11am on Monday near 5th Avenue and Bay Ridge Parkway in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge neighbourhood.

Authorities said at least eight people were injured. Preliminary reports suggested a cyclist was dragged under the vehicle.

The victims were injured at three different locations, police said. The truck had driven onto a sidewalk at at least one of the locations.

The NYPD said the incident began as officers attempted to pull the truck over for a traffic stop. The driver fled, striking people as he did so.

The truck was eventually cornered by police at Columbia Street in Red Hook.

The driver has since been taken into custody for questioning.

New York City Councilmember Justin Brannan characterised the incident as a “rampage”.

“We have no idea of motives at this time but this wasn’t an accident,” Mr Brannan said on Twitter.

A bomb squad was called in to examine the U-Haul truck.

Suspect’s brother suggests he ‘skipped medication’

03:45 , Io Dodds

Stephen Sor, the brother of suspect Weng Sor, does not seem to be surprised by this event.

Speaking to the New York Daily News, he said: “Very frequently he’ll choose to skip out on his medications and do something like this. This isn’t the first time he’s been arrested. It’s not the first time he’s gone to jail."

Records from Nevada show that Weng Sor was imprisoned for about a year for stabbing his brother in Las Vegas, though it's not clear if that was the same brother.

Separately, The New York Post reports that the person who died was a 44-year-old man who was struck while riding an e-bike on Bay Ridge Parkway and 5th Ave.

One victim has died

02:32 , Io Dodds

We’ve just received this Associated Press alert:

One of the people injured by U-Haul that mowed down pedestrians, cyclists in New York City has died, official says.

We’ll bring you more information as soon as we have it.

Nevada government confirms suspect was imprisoned there

01:48 , Io Dodds

We now have a statement from the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC), confirming some details of suspect Weng Sor's reported criminal history.

"Weng Sor was incarcerated in NDOC from 1 August 2017 until release on 14 December 2018," a spokesperson told The Independent.

"He completed his terms with NDOC and was never on parole. He was sentenced to 12 to 36 months for battery with substantial bodily harm, with [a] concurrent term of 12 to 36 months for [another count] of battery with substantial bodily harm."

'Just recklessly driving and hitting'

00:49 , Io Dodds

A witness has described how the U-Haul driver "recklessly" ploughed through pedestrians and people on bicycles.

Isa Rosenbloom, a resident of Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn, told CBS New York that the truck was "just kind of recklessly driving and hitting, running over people, delivery people on their delivery bikes".

Another witness, Ignacio De La Luz, described how police officers boxed in the truck against a building and brought it to a standstill.

"The patrol got in front of the truck, and then the truck got into the sidewalk," Mr De La Luz said. "And he couldn't move. And right away the officer got out of the car, pull out the gun, and they guy had no choice but to stop."

Suspect previous jailed for stabbing brother – full story

23:59 , Io Dodds

Here’s my full story on what we know so far about suspect Weng Sor’s history with Las Vegas police, including reports that he stabbed his brother and roommate in two separate incidents.

Brooklyn U-Haul rampage suspect was previously arrested for stabbing brother and roommate, reports say

CCTV footage shows a very narrow escape

23:40 , Io Dodds

Here's the surveillance footage showing the U-Haul truck's rampage, showing one man's very close escape.

‘I've only seen this in movies'

23:18 , Io Dodds

A mother of two who was injured by the U-Haul on Monday has been discharged from hospital with a cast on her foot.

Yi Chun Hee, 38, told CBS New York that she was on her way to visit a friend, standing with her e-bike on Bay Ridge Parkway and 7th Ave, when she saw the truck run a red light and drive straight toward her.

"It hit me. When he see me, just comes, hit me," she said, describing how she had almost no time to react before the impact, which wrecked her bike.

"It's very crazy. I've only seen this in the movie[s]," she continued. "I'm very scared. I'm scared even now."

Suspect was jailed in Las Vegas for stabbing his brother

22:53 , Io Dodds

The suspected driver of the U-Haul truck has previously served prison time in Las Vegas for stabbing his brother, reports say.

Multiple media outlets have named the suspect as Weng Sor, 62, reportedly a US citizen born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and with no previous criminal record in New York.

According to Las Vegas broadcaster KLAS-TV, however, Mr Sor was actually arrested in Las Vegas in October 2015 and imprisoned for one to three years, ultimately serving 16 months.

Records said that he had an "unknown type [of] mental health illness for which he takes medication".

Separately, in November 2020, Mr Sor allegedly stabbed his roommate in the arm. Police said he had been "walking up and down the driveway talking to himself about Communism". before the attack.

The judge in that case found him not fit to stand trial, and he was ordered to serve one year in detention.

We’ve reached out to Las Vegas authorities for more information.

Man who narrowly escaped truck in CCTV footage is ‘doing okay’

22:32 , Io Dodds

The man seen diving out of the truck's way in CCTV video of Monday’s “rampage” was able to escape with only an injured knee, according to his boss.

"He was able to escape, thank God. He’s okay," the man's manager told the New York Daily News, which did not give either person's name. "I see a big – bang! I came outside. I saw his pants was ripped."

The man is reported to be a driver at a local car service, and in his sixties.

Kida Rexhepi, 41, who owns a business along that street, also told the Daily News: "It was very fast, the truck and the police were following him... the car came very close to the store. It was going so fast. I’m like, 'what happened?'"

Statement from NY Governor Kathy Hochul

22:09 , Io Dodds

What is the condition of the victims?

21:44 , Io Dodds

Here’s what we know so far about the victims and their injuries:

• Two people are in critical condition and two others are in a serious condition, according to NYPD commissioner Keechant Sewell.

• Four others sustained minor injuries, including three men hit while riding mopeds in various parts of Bay Ridge.

• One of the people in critical condition is a man who was hit as a pedestrian on Fourth Ave near 54th St.

• One of the people hurt was a police officer, but we don't know their condition.

• Authorities have not yet released the victims' names.

Everything we know about the Brooklyn U-Haul 'rampage'

21:20 , Io Dodds

My colleagues Gustaf Kilander and Richard Hall have rounded up what we know so far about this incident.

Everything we know about the Brooklyn U-Haul ‘rampage’

Truck was rented in Florida, report says

20:57 , Io Dodds

The U-Haul truck that hit multiple people on Monday was rented on 23 January in Daytona Beach, Florida, according to New York Post reporter Joe Marino.

Mr Marino said he had been told by law enforcement sources that the truck was rented by Weng Sor, a 62-year-old man originally born in Malaysia.

Witnesses describe truck's trail of destruction

20:35 , Io Dodds

The New York Times has some reports from witnesses who saw the truck driving wildly through the streets of Brooklyn.

"It’s devastating," said Amanda Perez, 39, who was working at a real estate company called Coldwell Banker when she and other employees heard a commotion outside that sounded like a truck dragging something behind it.

They ran outside to see a man lying on the ground, clearly injured. "It was a horror to see him in that condition and think someone can flee the scene," Ms Perez said.

Lilia Gomez, 34, told the Times she was drinking coffee in McDonald's along the truck's route when she saw it approaching at high speed. When they rushed outside, they saw a man trapped beneath his motorbike and unable to move, with parts of the bike scattered across the road.

“I think I’m going to get my kids from school, because I am a little scared by what happened. You don’t see this in Bay Ridge," Ms Gomez said, describing the neighbourhood as "a very peaceful place".

Driver 'said he wanted to die'

20:16 , Io Dodds

The driver of the U-Haul truck told police that he wanted to die, according to local city councilman Justin Brannan.

"The police approached this driver and tried to get him to pull over, and at that time he said something to the effect of 'I want to die' and proceeded to start driving on the sidewalks in Bay Ridge," Mr Brannan told ABC 7 New York.

"[He] then proceeded to start driving on the sidewalks in Bay Ridge, and ultimately the police pursued him into near the Battery Tunnel, which is where they got him."

ABC also reported that the driver had said "shoot me, I'm not stopping", though did not give a source for that information.

Mr Brannan added that he was not aware of any threats made before the incident.

"This seems totally on purpose, but totally random," he said. "Bay Ridge goes from 101st Street to basically 65th Street, and we were getting calls as he drove through the neighbourhood – through the nineties, through the eighties, through the seventies – and he was just on a rampage, basically just driving erratically and violently."

Officers and bomb specialists were inspecting truck

19:59 , Io Dodds

A quick note from my colleague Richard Hall, who was on the scene with NYPD commissioner Keechant Sewell.

"Ms Sewell spoke some 30 metres in front of the spot where the U-Haul was brought to a stop, at the entrance to the Battery Tunnel that connects Brooklyn to Manhattan," says Rich.

"Ahead of her press conference, I witnessed officers inspecting the back of the truck. Officers from the NYPD bomb squad were on scene."

Alarming CCTV footage shows truck mounting the sidewalk

19:42 , Io Dodds

Here’s the surveillance video that shows the U-Haul truck crashing onto a Brooklyn sidewalk, obtained by ABC 7 New York.

At first, the truck is only dimly visible in the background, speeding down the street towards the camera. Then it is seen swerving across an intersection and smacking into a bicycle or motorbike, sending the bike and its rider spinning across the ground.

The truck then mounts the sidewalk, scattering locked-up bicycles and sandwich boards in its path, followed close behind by what seems to be a police vehicle.

One pedestrian standing on the sidewalk is forced to dash across the path of the truck to get out of its way, and only barely avoids it by diving at the last moment.

No sign of terrorism at this time, say police

19:26 , Io Dodds

Police say there is so far no sign that today’s crash was a terrorist attack.

At the press conference earlier this afternoon, NYPD commissioner Keechant Sewell said: “We have no indication that there is any terrorism involvement in this incident. However, as always, we will continue to investigate this incident with the full resources of the NYPD and our partners.

“What we saw today is a clear example why, every moment of every day, the NYPD must be prepared for every possibility.”

She added that anyone with useful information should call the NYPD at 1-800-577-TIPS (ie 577-8477).

Driver is 62-year-old man named Weng Sor, reports say

18:52 , Io Dodds

The driver of the U-Haul truck has been identified as 62-year-old Weng Sor, according to multiple media outlets.

Joe Marino, a reporter for The New York Post, said Mr Sor had no arrest history or contact with the police apart from a 2019 incident in which he was described as a potentially "emotionally disturbed person".

In that incident, the driver was reportedly seen yelling and jumping into moving traffic on a busy street in Queens, and was taken to hospital for a psychiatric assessment.

The man is reportedly homeless, and police are said to be investigating whether he was living in the truck.

Truck had already hit people when it was pulled over, says NYPD

18:46 , Io Dodds

The U-Haul truck had already begun hitting people when it was stopped by police officers, an NYPD spokesperson has said.

At a press conference just now in Bay Ridge, an NYPD officer was asked about the cause of the initial traffic stop.

“The vehicle that was stopped was stopped as a result of it hitting several people. It came to a rest here behind us,” the officer said.

Asked to clarify whether it had hit people before it stopped, she answered: “That is correct.”

Comparisons drawn to Sayfull Saipov case

18:15 , Megan Sheets

News of the Brooklyn U-Haul incident immediately drew comparisons to a 2017 attack in which a man mowed down pedestrians on a Manhattan bike path.

That man, Sayfull Saipov, is currently facing the death penalty phase of sentencing for killing eight in that attack.

Former NYPD Chief of Detectives Roberts Boyce told ABC News: “It’s the first thing I thought.

“I worked the Sayfull Saipov case I remember how dangerous it was and what he did and how deadly it was. That was the first thing that came to mind when I heard the rented truck. So let’s hope it’s not that and it’s a person in mental distress at this point and it’s nothing more than that. It’s difficult to link the two right now but how can you not think about that?”

Number of victims injured raised to eight

18:05 , Megan Sheets

The number of people injured by the U-Haul truck ordeal continues to change rapidly.

An FDNY spokesperson has now said that a total of eight people were hurt.

Of those, two are critical, two are serious and the remaining four are “minor”.

NYPD to brief reporters imminently

18:01 , Megan Sheets

The NYPD is setting up a press conference near the scene where the U-Haul was brought to a stop in Red Hook.

Here’s a live look from The Independent’s Richard Hall:

What we know about the victims

17:50 , Megan Sheets

The NYPD has thus far offered little information about the crash.

We do, however, know that at least five people were injured.

ABC7 reports that a man in his 30s was struck by the U-Haul on 4th Avenue.

He has since been taken to Lutheran Hospital in critical condition.

Three other men riding mopeds were also struck and suffered minor injuries, the outlet reported.

Crashes took place after attempted traffic stop

17:36 , Megan Sheets

The NYPD has said the incident began as officers attempted to pull the U-Haul truck over in a traffic stop at 10.49am.

The driver fled, and struck pedestrians as he did so.

Officials have now said that at least five people were injured.

The Independent is on scene in Brooklyn

17:33 , Megan Sheets

The Independent’s Richard Hall is currently on the scene where the U-Haul driver was taken into custody.

He reports that the back of the truck is open and investigators are standing around it.

Local outlets previously reported that a bomb squad was inspecting the vehicle.

Here are Richard’s photos from the scene:

NYC councilmember describes incident as a ‘rampage’

17:20 , Megan Sheets

New York City Councilmember Justin Brannan, who represents Bay Ridge, reacted to the U-Haul incident on Twitter.

“A man driving a U-Haul went on a rampage in Bay Ridge. He was just apprehended in Sunset Park. Several people were hit and badly injured,” he wrote.

“We have no idea of motives at this time but this wasn’t an accident. Thank you to @NYPD72Pct @NYPD68Pct. I will share more info when I can.”

Police have not said whether they believe the crashes were accidental or intentional.

What we know about the Brooklyn U-Haul crash

17:16 , Megan Sheets

Several people have been struck by an out-of-control U-Haul truck in Brooklyn, New York, police have said.

Multiple pedestrians were struck by the vehicle and a bicyclist was dragged by the truck on Monday morning, according to reports.

The incident took place at about 11am at 5th Avenue and Bay Ridge Parkway, with the truck then speeding off down 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge, authorities said.

The Independent’s Gustaf Kilander reports:

Several people struck by out-of-control U-Haul truck in Brooklyn