One of the people injured when a car plowed into pedestrians in New York’s Times Square is a 38-year-old Canadian woman.
The NYPD’s assistant chief isn’t releasing her name or hometown, but says the woman is in very critical condition.
Twenty-six-year-old suspect Richard Rojas made his first appearance in court today on a slew of charges including one count of second-degree murder.
Manhattan prosecutors said in court that Richard Rojas told police after his arrest that he wanted to “kill them all.”
They said he also told police they should have shot him.
Rojas’s lawyer and weeping supporters had no comment Friday.
Eighteen-year-old tourist Alyssa Elsman, of Portage, Michigan, was killed in the crash while her 13-year-old sister was among the 22 injured.
The crash happened midday on a hot, clear day that brought large crowds of people into the streets to enjoy the good weather. Video posted online showed steam or smoke pouring from the car for a few moments after it stopped moving.
READ MORE: Times Square suspect’s checkered past included 2 months in navy prison
After the car struck a barricade and stopped, the driver climbed out of his vehicle, witness Asa Lowe said.
“He just started running until people tackled him down,” Lowe said. “Citizens just reacted.”
Police do not suspect a link to terrorism, but the vehicle was checked by the bomb squad and certain city landmarks were getting a beefed up police presence.
WATCH: NYPD, Mayor don’t consider Times Square incident to be terrorism
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