February 14, 2023
BROOKLYN, NY—The U-Haul suspect accused of plowing through multiple cyclists and scooter riders in Brooklyn which caused the death of one person and injured eight others, including a police officer, has yet to be charged as of Tuesday morning. The Asian-American male suspect has a history of violence and mental health issues.
Weng Sor, 62, was arrested Monday morning after authorities were able to pin his U-Haul truck against a building following a pursuit in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, according to FOX News.
The 48-minute pursuit unfolded as Sor’s truck pummeled through the Bay Ridge area, hitting several people at multiple points along the way before veering on and off a highway as the NYPD gave chase.
The pursuit ultimately ended when a police cruiser cut the truck off and blocked it against a building near the tunnel that leads to Manhattan from Brooklyn; a little over three miles from where the chase began.
A total of nine people were struck by Sor’s truck, ages ranging from 30 to 66. All were men.
The victim who ultimately died from his injuries was a 44-year-old man. He succumbed to head injuries sustained after being struck by the U-Haul, reports FOX News.
The NYPD bomb squad examined the truck to make sure it didn’t contain explosives. Stephen Sor, the suspect’s son, stated his father has a history of mental illness and was living in Las Vegas. Records indicate Weng Sor was convicted and served multiple stints for acts of violence, including stabbing his own brother.
Weng Sor rented the truck in West Palm Beach, Florida on February 1 and was due to return the vehicle on March 3, according to U-Haul spokesperson Jeff Lockridge. Weng provided a valid driver’s license and paid for a 30-day rental in advance.
Authorities also believe Weng may have been living in the U-Haul truck.
“Very frequently he’ll choose to skip out on his medications and do something like this,” Stephen Sor said. “This isn’t the first time he’s been arrested. It’s not the first time he’s gone to jail.”
Stephen said he was shocked when his father showed up in Brooklyn in the middle of the night about a week ago. He described his relationship with his father as “rocky.”
Weng Sor stabbed his brother in Las Vegas back in 2015 and served 17 months in a Nevada prison. In 2020, he stabbed someone in the arm and chest with a knife and was sentenced to 364 days in county jail, according to court and prison records.
Feature Images via Nevada Department of Corrections & ABC7