New York City Marathon cancelled

(WCBS-TV) The New York City Marathon has been canceled, the mayor’s office confirmed on Friday afternoon.

Earlier, Mayor Michael Bloomberg came under fire for pressing ahead with the weekend’s event in a city still reeling from Superstorm Sandy, with some New Yorkers and many public figures saying that holding the 26.2-mile race would be insensitive and divert police and other important resources when many are still suffering.

However, Bloomberg released a statement Friday afternoon, saying the race had “become the source of controversy and division.”