A driver who was thought to be drunk crashed into a group of people enjoying the Fourth of July in New York City, killing three and hurting many more.
A gray Ford F-150 pickup truck ran through the Water Street and Cherry Street intersection, along with a stop sign, and into Corlears Hook Park on Thursday at 8:55 p.m. local time. The New York Police Department acknowledged this in a press conference.
A statement from the NYPD that was received by PEOPLE said the truck was being driven by a 44-year-old man and was going very fast when it hit 11 pedestrians. The car went onto the curb and then into the park, where it hit people who were “out enjoying the evening,” the police said at the press conference.
Also, they said they thought alcohol had something to do with what happened but that the case was still very new.
Two of the victims were identified as Lucille Pinkney, 59, and Hernan Pinkney, 38, both from New York. They live at the same home. Both of them had been taken to New York Presbyterian Hospital, but were declared dead there.
“An unidentified female pedestrian was transported by EMS to NYC Health and hospitals/Bellevue where she was pronounced deceased,” the news release said.
“EMS took a 30-year-old woman walking alone to NYC Health and hospitals/Bellevue in critical condition.” “EMS took a 35-year-old woman walking on the street to New York Presbyterian Hospital in stable condition,” police stated.
A 36-year-old woman was taken to NYU Langone Medical Center and is in stable condition. A 37-year-old man, a 33-year-old woman, and an 11-year-old boy were all taken by EMS to Mount Sinai Beth Israel and are also in stable condition, the statement said.
Police said that a man aged 38 and a woman aged 18 who were taken to New York Presbyterian Hospital were both in safe condition.
According to the police statement, the suspect has been arrested and will be charged soon. The probe is still going on by the NYPD Highway District’s Collision probe Squad.
Mayor Eric Adams told the press gathering that the suspect drove into a crowd of people who were “just celebrating like so many New Yorkers and Americans are doing right now.”
“It doesn’t appear at this time that this was terrorist-related,” Adams said.
During the press meeting, FDNY Chief Michael Meyers said that when they got there three minutes and 44 seconds later, they saw a pickup truck on top of four people who had been hurt.
During the press conference, the police said they thought witnesses had grabbed the driver and made sure he didn’t leave before first responders came. They also said they thought a mother with two young children was one of the people who was hurt.
“When he made that sharp right turn, a lot of people screamed.” He went to the baseball field, which is where we usually have barbecues. We all know this family. Someone told WABC, “The Lower East Side sticks together.”
The New York Post also heard someone else say, “I can’t get the screaming out of my head.”
Thirty-year-old father of three Abdo Yahya said, “This has never happened here before.” He has lived in the area for 18 years. I mean they fight. They fight. But not like this. Now my kids are too scared to go outside.
