On Thursday night, a devastating incident occurred in Manhattan's Lower East Side during a Fourth of July celebration, resulting in two fatalities and seven injuries. The New York City Police Department reported that just before 9 p.m., a driver of a Ford F-150 pickup truck crashed into a park, causing chaos and tragedy.
NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey revealed in a press conference that the driver was speeding and disregarded a stop sign at an intersection, leading the grey pickup truck to veer onto the sidewalk where it struck multiple individuals attending the celebration. First responders arrived to find the truck on top of four victims, with a total of nine people being hit and at least two losing their lives.
The ages of the victims are still being determined, but it is believed that two children were among those injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. While alcohol was detected at the scene by responding officers, further tests are being conducted to ascertain the driver's condition.
Authorities have clarified that this tragic incident is not believed to be related to terrorism. The NYPD issued a statement urging the public to avoid the area of Water Street and Jackson Street to facilitate the ongoing investigation into the crash.
