New York City truck attack: Longtime friends, cycling enthusiast among the victims

Five friends from Argentina, who were in New York City for a high school reunion, were among those killed in a truck attack near the World Trade Center Tuesday.

Police are investigating after eight people were killed and 11 others injured when a man in a truck plowed into cyclists and pedestrians on a bike path in Manhattan.

READ MORE: Police look for motive after driver kills 8 people in New York City

The suspect has been identified as Sayfullo Saipov, 29, and reported to be an immigrant from Uzbekistan. He was shot in the abdomen by an officer after he crashed the vehicle. He underwent surgery and remains in hospital.

On Wednesday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said a note found at the scene referenced the Islamic State and that the suspect had been radicalized in the U.S.

0:41 Hometown vigil held for Argentine victims of New York attack

• Hometown vigil held for Argentine victims of New York attack
• Several killed in terror attack in New York
• Students saw bodies from classroom during New York City truck incident
• Emergency crews respond to New York City incident
• Witness says he saw truck driving down New York City bike path
• Witness describes seeing ‘bodies covered’ in New York City incident
• Demolished truck surrounded by New York City police after vehicle struck several people

Previous Video

Next Video

What we know about the victims

5 Argentinians

Five of the victims were among 10 friends celebrating the anniversary of their 1987 graduation from the Polytechnic School in Argentina, with a U.S. trip to New York and Boston, where their classmate lives.

READ MORE: Justin Trudeau says he is ‘deeply grieved’ by Manhattan attack

A sixth Argentine national who was part of the group was injured during the attack. He was taken to hospital but is recovering from his injuries.

The group had rented bicycles and walked around lower Manhattan when they were hit, La Nación reported.

Argentina’s consul in New York told La Capital in Rosario that the survivors in the Argentine group are in a state of shock. Only days earlier, before flying to the U.S., they had posed for a group photo, all of them wearing T-shirts with the word “Libre,” or Free.

View image in full screen

The trip was paid for by Erlij, the chief executive of Ivanar, an Argentine steel products manufacturing company, according to Argentina’s La Nacion newspaper. Several other victims were architects.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

WATCH: Empire State Building goes dark in honour of New York City attack victims

0:30 Empire State Building goes dark in honour of New York City attack victims

“Four died at the scene and another young man died when he was taken away by an ambulance,” Jose Nunez, a national deputy who was a friend of several of the men, told La Nacion.

READ MORE: A timeline of vehicle ramming attacks from 2006 to now

The Argentine foreign ministry identified them as Ariel Erlij, Hernan Diego Mendoza, Diego Enrique Angelini, Alejandro Damian Pagnucco, and Hernan Ferruchi. In addition, it said Martin Ludovico Marro was recovering from injuries at Manhattan’s Presbyterian Hospital.

On Twitter, Argentine President Mauricio Macri said he was “(d)eeply moved by the tragic deaths this afternoon in NY. We put ourselves at the disposition of the families of the Argentinian victims.”

Ann-Laure Decadt, Belgian national

View image in full screen

A Belgian national was also one of the eight people killed in the attack, Belgium’s foreign minister said. Three other people from Belgium were injured.

Ann-Laure Decadt, 31, the mother of two young sons, died in the attack. Decadt was on a trip with her sister and mother in New York City.

Belgian’s deputy prime minister tweeted Tuesday evening, saying he was “deeply saddened to announce a Belgian victim in #Manhattan – I express my condolences.”

2 Americans 

Darren Drake, 32, a project manager from New Millford, New Jersey, and Nicholas Cleves, 23, from NYC were also killed in the attack.

Drake’s father Jimmy confirmed the news to reporters outside his home, where he said Drake loved cycling.

“While other people would take cigarette or coffee breaks, he would go out and ride the bike for 15 or 20 minutes,” he said, according to NJ.com.

WATCH: Father of New York City attack victim says wife ‘knew something was wrong’ day of attack

2:01 Father of New York City attack victim says wife ‘knew something was wrong’ day of attack

So far there have been no reports of any Canadians injured in the incident, according to Global Affairs.

WATCH: New York City dealing with its first terror attack since 9/11

2:09 New York City dealing with its first terror attack since 9/11

With files from the Associated Press