At least eight people were killed Tuesday and more than a dozen others were injured when a man drove a rented truck onto a busy bike path in New York City.

“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," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called it a "lone wolf'' attack, saying there's no evidence to suggest it was part of a wider plot. The incident took place near the World Trade Center memorial in lower Manhattan.

New York Police Commissioner James O’Neill said around 3:05 p.m., a man driving a rented Home Depot pickup truck entered the bike path, striking riders and pedestrians. The truck also struck a school bus, injuring two adults and two children.

The man then “exited the vehicle brandishing two handguns,” O’Neill said.

A paintball gun and a pellet gun were later found at the scene. He was shot in the abdomen by police and taken into custody.

He underwent surgery and is expected to survive.

Argentina's foreign ministry said five of its citizens were among those killed. A statement identified them as natives of the city of Rosario, who were in New York with a group celebrating their 30th anniversary of graduating school.

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders said one Belgian was killed in the attack.

Police said the driver shouted "Allahu Akbar,'' Arabic for "God is great" when he got out of the truck. But when O'Neill was asked whether the suspect shouted the phrase, he replied: "Yeah. He did make a statement when he exited the vehicle,'' though he declined to elaborate.

The New York Police Department said they will increase the number of police throughout the city "out of an abundance of caution."

Law enforcement officials, who refused to be identified, told media outlets the suspect was a 29-year-old immigrant from Uzbekistan named Sayfullo Saipov, who entered the U.S. in 2010. (VOA)

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