New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday the attack that killed eight people and injured at least a dozen others "an act of terror — and a particularly cowardly act of terror."
"It's a very painful day in our city," the Democrat told reporters at a news conference and New York City Police Department headquarters in Manhattan. "Horrible tragedy on the West Side.
"Let me be clear, based on the information we have at this moment, this was an act of terror — and a particularly cowardly act of terror.
"Aimed at innocent civilians, aimed at people going about their lives who had no idea what was about to hit them," de Blasio said.
New York City Police Commissioner James O'Neill said eight people were killed in the attack about 3:05 p.m. ET and a 29-year-old man was arrested who had been shot by a uniformed officer.
Authorities also said six people died at the scene, while two others died at a local hospital.
"This incident is over," O'Neill told reporters.
"We know that this action was intended to break our spirit," de Blasio said. "But we also know: New Yorkers are strong. New Yorkers are resilient — and our spirit will never be moved by an act of violence and an act meant to intimidate us.
"We have been tested before as a city very near the site of today's tragedy," he said, referring to the World Trade Center. "And New Yorkers did not give in in the face of these kinds of actions.
"We'll respond as we always do. We will be undeterred."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the attacked "reminds us all how precious life is."
"That shock and that pain is going to be very real, and our thoughts and our prayers are with all of them."
Both leaders praised first responders — and Cuomo described it as a "lone wolf" attack.
"At this point there is no evidence to suggest a wider plot or a wider scheme," he said.
"We will be vigilant," the governor said. "More police everywhere.
"You'll see them in the airports. You'll see them in the tunnels.
"It's not because there is any evidence of any ongoing threat or any additional threat, it is just out of vigilance and out of caution."
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