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One of the world’s most popular tourist spots was shaken up on Thursday morning.
At 11:55 a.m. EDT, a 2009 Honda Accord driven by 26-year-old Richard Rojas sped through Times Square.
Crazy car crash in the middle of Times Square. We are being told to shelter in place pic.twitter.com/jvEhISIhcn
— Christopher Rudolph (@chrisreindeer) May 18, 2017
The car mounted the sidewalk and struck a number of pedestrians before wedging itself up onto a set of barricades.
In total, 22 people were injured in the incident, four of them critically, and one woman died at the scene.
#FDNY confirms 1 fatality, 12 injuries in Times Square motor vehicle accident, 45 St/Broadway pic.twitter.com/M3aEHZw7Go
— FDNY (@FDNY) May 18, 2017
All 22 injured victims have been brought to area hospitals and Rojas was taken into custody.
In an address to the media from Times Square, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio commented on Rojas.
There are multiple injuries after a car jumped the sidewalk in Times Square. Warning this video is graphic. pic.twitter.com/iPn8rp5LtJ
— Shayna Estulin (@ShaynaEstulin12) May 18, 2017
“The perpetrator is in custody. He’s a United States citizen and a former member of the armed forces with the United States Navy. He has a criminal history," de Blasio said about Rojas. “Based on the information we have at this moment, there is no indication that this was an act of terrorism.”
If anything comes to light that suggests otherwise, KelownaNow will update this story.
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