A 29-year-old man from Uzbekistan became the latest face of Islamic terror on Halloween when he drove a rented pickup truck down a bike path in New York City, leaving behind him a bloody scene of mayhem. By the time a member of the NYPD shot Sayfullo Saipov and ended his massacre, eight people were dead and another eleven were injured. Officials called the slaughter the deadliest terrorist attack on NYC since 9/11. And though the body count (and thus, the reaction) will be far lower than on that fateful day, the incident should serve as a reminder to all Americans that the threat of Islamic extremism is still very much upon us.
Saipov’s attack was cut short when he smashed into a school bus, hopped out of his truck, and began brandishing a pellet gun and a paintball gun while shouting “Allahu akbar,” as these lunatics are wont to do. He was quickly shot by police. As of Wednesday morning, he was listed in critical condition by New York officials, becoming one of the rare terrorists to actually survive his own jihad. His survival may open a window into his connections that law enforcement rarely gets to take advantage of. Early indications are that he acted as a so-called “lone wolf,” though a note left in the truck appears to show some connection – ideological or otherwise – to the Islamic State.
“Based on information we have at this moment, this was an act of terror, and a particularly cowardly act of terror aimed at innocent civilians,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference a couple of hours after the killing spree.
According to the New York Times, Saipov has been living in the United States for approximately seven years:
Mr. Saipov came to the United States from Uzbekistan in 2010, and had a green card that allowed permanent legal residence. He had apparently lived in Paterson, N.J., and Tampa, Fla. An official said Mr. Saipov rented a truck from a Home Depot in Passaic, N.J., where a white Toyota minivan believed to be his was found parked.
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Almost immediately, as investigators began to look into Mr. Saipov’s history, it became clear that he had been on the radar of federal authorities. Three officials said he had come to the federal authorities’ attention as a result of an unrelated investigation, but it was not clear whether that was because he was a friend, an associate or a family member of someone under scrutiny or because he himself had been the focus of an investigation.
The left will undoubtedly use this opportunity to once again assure us that Islam is a religion of peace and that, somehow or someway, this attack is a commentary of the perils of white privilege. Hopefully, the majority of Americans are beginning to realize – like our president realizes – that these distractions are the very epitome of fake news.
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