A harrowing incident in Herald Square, a prominent commercial intersection in the Midtown Manhattan area of New York City on Wednesday afternoon, turned into a remarkable display of heroism when bystanders rushed to the aid of a 9-year-old boy and his mother after they were struck by a taxi driver who possibly experienced a medical emergency.
The chaotic scene
The chaotic scene unfolded just after 4 pm outside Macy’s on 34th Street and Sixth Avenue when the 58-year-old taxi driver veered off the road, mounting the curb and plowing into several pedestrians. Six victims—five women and the young boy—were injured, though their injuries were not life-threatening. The mother and child were both rushed to Weill Cornell Medical Center, while a third victim was transported to Bellevue Hospital.
Among the injured was the boy’s mother, who was pinned beneath the vehicle, with a still-spinning wheel on top of her son’s leg.
Quick actions of bystanders
Witnesses described the frantic moments following the crash, with one tourist from Oregon recalling how a group of strangers rushed to help the mother and the son. “One gentleman went over to shut the car off, got into it, and shut it off. There was a whole group of us that ripped the fender off, lifted the car back,” the witness said, adding that he helped pull the child to safety. “Then I realized his mom was underneath.”
Sam Mohammed, a nearby hot dog stand worker, was only a few feet away when the taxi slammed into the sidewalk. “I saw the car going onto the sidewalk and hitting people,” he said, visibly shaken. “This is scary.”
‘Don’t want to see anything like this’
Tourists and bystanders in New York City expressed their shock as they witnessed the aftermath, with some noting how unsettling it was to see such chaos during the holiday season.
“We don’t want to see anything like this,” said Clint Burnette, a Colorado tourist who was in the area with his family.
Accident or intentional act?
The crash, which police are still investigating, appeared to be an accident rather than a deliberate act, though the investigation continues.
Global tensions heighten after recent attacks
The incident occurred during a time when global tensions have been high, particularly after a recent car attack on a Christmas market in Germany that left five dead and hundreds injured.
As the investigation unfolds, the actions of the good Samaritans who saved the boy and his mother remain a bright spot in what could have been a tragic event.
