The NYPD has released the names of the eight people who were killed in a truck attack in New York City on Tuesday. Five of the victims were Argentine nationals, one was a Belgian national and two were U.S. citizens.
They included seven men and one woman and ranged in ages from 23 to 48.
The Argentine victims have been named as: Hernán-Diego Mendoza-Espino, 47; Alejandro Damián Pagrucco, 47; Herman Ferruchi, 47; Diego Enrique Angelini, 47; Ariel Erlis, 48. The five Argentines killed were friends from the city of Rosario and were in New York for a school reunion.
"The consulate general continues working in permanent contact with the police authorities and the hospital that received the affected, as well as with the relatives in Argentina. We accompany the families in this terrible moment of deep pain, which all Argentines share," the Argentine foreign ministry said in a statement in Spanish released Tuesday.
The Belgian victim has been identified as Anne Laure Decadt, 31. Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said in a tweet Tuesday night he was "deeply saddened" one of his fellow citizens was among those killed.
I am deeply saddened to announce a belgian victim in #Manhattan - I express my condolences to the family and friends 🇧🇪🇺🇸
— Didier Reynders (@dreynders) October 31, 2017
The two American victims have been identified as Darren Drake, 32, of New Milford, New Jersey, and Nicholas Cleves, 23, a resident of New York City.
Drake, the former president of the board of education in his New Jersey town, reportedly rode his bike every day to lose weight. His father now plans on donating it, according to a reporter for NBC New York.
Darren Drake, victim in #NYCattack rode bike every day after weight loss surgery-dad says he will donate son's bikes 2 charity @NBCNewYork pic.twitter.com/7UDhzJQTmd
— Jen Maxfield (@JenMaxfield4NY) November 1, 2017
Cleves, the only New Yorker killed in Tuesday's attack, had recently graduated with a degree in computer science and physics from Skidmore College, in Saratoga Springs, according to his Facebook page.
Tuesday's attack is the deadliest terror incident in New York City since 9/11. The accused attacker is in police custody and an investigation is ongoing.
