Family, friends of victims speak out after U-Haul crash in Brooklyn that killed 1, injured 8
SUNSET PARK, Brooklyn (WABC) -- Family and friends of victims are speaking out after a U-Haul truck mowed down multiple pedestrians in Brooklyn Monday, leaving one dead and eight others injured.
A family friend of one of the victims told Eyewitness News reporter Sonia Rincon that New York City Mayor Eric Adams quietly paid a very comforting visit to those recovering from the U-Haul rampage Monday night.
Six of the victims were taken to NYU Langone Brooklyn, including two who were left with critical injuries.
One of the victims, a 44-year-old man, died from his injuries.
Sonia Rincon spoke with friends of another victim, a 36-year-old father of two, who has a long road ahead.
"He is severely injured," said Sofia Agag, a friend of 36-year-old Mohammed S. "A lot of broken bones. He's fighting for his life basically."
Friends and family of Mohammed S. have been comforting his wife.
"Seeing him in the bed with all the sedation, all the vent and all those IV and looking all the beeps going up and down," friend Kamel Seskaf said.
They say he was headed from Fifth to Third Avenue, running an errand, when he was mowed down by the speeding U-Haul, and they have so many questions as to why a driver would do this.
"Was this on his mind? Was it planned or did it just happen suddenly?" Agag said.
The investigations continued at multiple locations in Bay Ridge, like at Fifth Avenue and Senator Street, where 30-year-old Eber Coy was struck while on his bike, also running an errand before heading to work.
His brother Eddy Coy says he and his brothers are from Guatemala and are hard-working, not looking for trouble, and are barely getting by.
Now his brother's leg is broken in two places.
Coy says this is going to be financially devastating, since his brother will have a long recovery and need a new bike.
Yi Chun He will also need a new bike, which took most of the impact when she was struck at Bay Ridge and Fort Hamilton parkways just outside Bay Ridge in Dyker Heights.
The mother of two was off work Monday and was about to get on an e-bike to go see a friend when the U-Haul hit her and her bike.
NewsCopter 7 was over the scene, where the intersection was shut down to traffic Monday.
Thankfully, Yi Chun He was able to walk out of NYU Langone Hospital with only a foot injury. She described the moment of impact.
"I just like here, just standing by my bike," He said. "The car just hit me very quick. Crazy. I only see this in the movies. Very quickly."
She shared photos of the mangled bike, which she said is not fixable, and the basket was tossed into the intersection.
WATCH | U-Haul truck jumps curb, barrels down sidewalk
When asked how she felt about all of this, He said it was scary since this happened only a block or so from her home.
She was very relieved that she could go back home, in fact, she was about to hail a cab to go pick up her two kids from school.
ALSO READ | What we know about the suspect in the Brooklyn U-Haul crash
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