An 18-year-old woman was killed and at least 22 others were hurt Thursday when a car driving through Times Square in New York City slammed into pedestrians, the New York Police Department said.
There is no indication that the incident was related to terrorism, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said. NYPD believes it was an isolated incident and an investigation is still underway.
The car’s driver, a 26-year-old Richard Rojas of the Bronx, was taken into custody at the scene of the crash, the NYPD said. Rojas, who has a history of DWI arrests, appeared to have been intoxicated with drugs or alcohol, the NYPD told the New York Times.
Rojas has two prior arrests for driving while intoxicated, and law enforcement is testing him for alcohol while in custody, police said at a news conference Thursday.
All 22 of those injured were taken to local hospitals, police said, and four had critical injuries. Three others had very serious injuries that were not critical.
“There was like blood everywhere. Really terrifying,” one witness told CBS New York. “We kept looking at ourselves, like, ‘What can we do?’”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and de Blasio arrived on the scene in Times Square after the crash. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the incident, White House press secretary Sean Spicer tweeted.
One of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, more than 300,000 people pass through Times Square each day.
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