NEW YORK — Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, has called New Yorkers to unity, prayer, and mutual respect after at least eight people were killed and 12 were injured in an act of terrorism Tuesday afternoon.

“Today our city and our nation are stunned and horrified by another act of senseless violence. While details continue to emerge, one thing is clear: 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,” the cardinal said in a statement.

The attack took place on West Street in lower Manhattan, near the site of the World Trade Center, which was destroyed by an act of terrorism on September 11, 2001. A rented Home Depot truck drove through a crowd on a pedestrian and bike path, before striking a school bus, New York City officials reported.

According to The NewYork Times, officials have identified the assailant as Sayfullo Saipov, 29, who moved to the United States from Uzbekistan in 2010. He had apparently lived in Paterson, New Jersey, and Tampa, Florida. The Times reported that after he was shot in the abdomen by the police, he was taken into custody and transported to a nearby hospital. He remained in stable condition as of early Wednesday morning, according to authorities.

“This was an act of terror, a particularly cowardly act of terror aimed at innocent civilians,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference shortly after the attack.

Dolan encouraged New Yorkers of all faiths “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.”