Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) praised the first responders to the terror attack in New York City on Tuesday that killed eight people and injured about a dozen more, pledging that Congress would investigate.
“I commend law enforcement for their quick and brave response to this afternoon’s cowardly attack,” Johnson, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said in a statement. “My committee will work to support the federal role in investigating this terror attack.”
“We must unite to defeat this scourge on humanity and protect our nation’s security,” Johnson said.
Multiple officials have identified the truck driver who allegedly mowed down pedestrians in lower Manhattan as 29-year-old Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov.
Officials are calling the incident “an act of terror”:
According to many witnesses, Saipov shouted, “Allahu Akbar” upon exiting a Home Depot rental truck after driving the wrong way on a busy bike lane near the World Trade Center memorial.
After striking several people, he reportedly stepped out of his vehicle with a pellet gun and a paintball gun and was shot by police.
Saipov is hospitalized and in police custody.