Cardinal Timothy Dolan said New York City is “stunned and horrified” by what police said was an act of terror on a Manhattan bicycle trail, in which at least eight people were killed and several more injured.
“While details continue to emerge, one thing is clear,” the New York archbishop continued in a statement, “once again, no matter our religion, racial or ethnic background, or political beliefs, we must put our differences aside and come together in faith and love to support those who are injured, pray for those who have died as well as their families and loved ones and work towards greater respect and understanding among all people so that heinous and evil acts like this become a thing of the past.”
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a separate statement that the “horrendous act weighs on all of our hearts.”
We must put our differences aside to support those who are injured, pray for those who have died as well as their families and loved ones and work towards greater respect and understanding among all people.
“To the family and friends of those who have died, please know that you are not alone, and that the prayers of the Bishops and of all the Church are with you and your loved ones,” he continued. “To you and to everyone, I would like to say that the forces of darkness always try to wipe away our hope; but our hope is in the name of the Lord and will always remain firm.”
“Let us remember the words of the Lord to prophet Joshua: be strong and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever you go,” he said.
By Wednesday morning, two more American cardinals had also offered prayers for victims of the attack:
To all victims of the New York City attack and their families, please know that you are in our prayers. May God be with you. #prayforNYC
— Cardinal Cupich (@CardinalBCupich) November 1, 2017
We continue to pray for all of the victims of the New York City attack and their families. #prayforNYC
— Cardinal Wuerl (@Cardinal_Wuerl) November 1, 2017
For his part, New York City’s mayor called the attack “cowardly” act of terror. Mayor Bill de Blasio said the attack on a bike path near the World Trade Center “was an act of terror, and a particularly cowardly act of terror aimed at innocent civilians.” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called it a “lone wolf” attack, and he said there’s no evidence to suggest it was part of a wider plot.
A law enforcement official said that witnesses told police that the man who drove a rented truck onto a bike path in New York City, killing eight people, shouted “allahu akbar.”
The official was familiar with the investigation but wasn’t authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Police Commissioner James O’Neill was asked at a news conference whether the suspect shouted the phrase, which means “God is great” in Arabic, or something like it. Mr. O’Neill replied: “Yeah. He did make a statement when he exited the vehicle,” though he declined to elaborate.
Mr. O’Neill said the method of attack and the suspect’s statement enabled officials “to label this a terrorist event.”
He said the 29-year-old man entered the bike path and drove south, hitting pedestrians and cyclists. He then hit a school bus, injuring at least two adults.
He said the man exited the vehicle brandishing a paintball gun and a pellet gun. He was then shot in the abdomen by a police officer and is now hospitalized.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
This does nothing. A meaningless statement that does nothing to stop the next mass murder.
"...understanding ...." I clearly understand that radical Muslims want to kill us; regard us as infidels; and for hundreds of years , desire to establish a worldwide caliphate which includes dhimmi,....... yes, Cardinal, I understand
American bishops have for years promoted the cultural ascendancy of the right wing nutjobs, nativists, xenophobes, and racists. I'm very happy to see signs of intelligence and heart from some leaders of the Church, but this is a mess they helped to make.
Two things: it would help if you provided examples, and who are you to judge?
Calling America contributor Gerald Beyer.
Does he believe that Home Depot is "complicit" in the massacre because it rented this low-life the truck?
What about the politicians who designed the lax policies that let him in without the appropriate screeening?
People can become radicalized over here. Like the man who killed two people in Oregon, who were defending two Muslim women he was attacking for being Muslims. ANTI Muslim terror occurs here too. "Islamic" Terrorism over here is blowback for our policies over there. [ that includes 9-11].
If he was watching violent ISIS videos then , like the Sandy Hook shooter who was obsessed with violent video games, he too may be a psychopath drawn to violence like many internet ISIS followers of this sadistic death cult are. If as reported, he claims he did this in retaliation for all the people Americans and other westerners have killed over there[ what the Fort Hood shooter and the Boston marathon bombers said was their reason] then this terror attack was the result of a combination of being mentally psychopathic and mentally ill, and asymmetrical blowback of someone politicized by our policies[ like Timothy McVeigh, Ft Hood, Boston marathon bombing and others].
Terrorism at home brings us to the knowledge that there can be consequences to US for our policies towards them, over there. There was a time we could act in the world militarily; bombing , invading or supporting dictators or just with our veto power at the UN, with impunity. Terrorism upsets this balance of power. Terrorism at home is "punity" for all the innocent men, women and children we have killed or maimed or supported regimes that did, over there. It's not morally justified, but framing it as coming from people who irrationally attack us because we dare to not be Muslim, and omitting any mention of blowback for our policies , is a self serving false narrative that hides our crimes against people over there. [ we were NOT minding our own business that glorious Sept.morning, or the other day].Think of it as a poor mans drone strike at a wedding or outdoor café! You won't see the name and face of anyone who lost her limbs in such an attack in our media; "war is hell, collateral damage" platitudes is our take when we are not victims but perpetrators of violence. Terrorism at home brings that platitude to us!
He was in the country legally from Uzbekistan. What screening was lacking? I would suggest that Homeland Security might have been lacking, someone is accessing ISIS videos on a regular basis and isn't being monitored?