NEW YORK — An attacker with a machete assaulted three NYPD officers simply outdoors the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration, fracturing a rookie cop’s cranium earlier than police shot him within the shoulder, police mentioned.
Cops and federal investigators are actually trying into whether or not the 19-year-old suspect, recognized by sources as Trevor Bickford of Maine, is a radicalized terrorist, regulation enforcement sources mentioned.
At round 10:11 p.m. on the intersection of Eighth Avenue and W. 52nd Street the attacker tried to swing a machete right into a police officer’s head, mentioned Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell.
The machete-wielding man then efficiently slashed two different officers, Sewell mentioned.
One of the injured officers, an eight-year veteran, suffered a reduce to his head, Sewell mentioned. The second officer, who graduated from the Police Academy on Friday, suffered a “large laceration” and a cranium fracture, the commissioner mentioned.
“One of the officers fired their service weapon, striking the subject in the shoulder,” Sewell mentioned.
Workers at a halal stand close to the scene heard what they thought had been explosions that will have been gunshots.
“I heard the sounds only — Bang! Bang!” recounted one of many employees, Prodip Bisws. “People were running, oh my God, they were running.”
Police on the scene rapidly took the machete-wielding man into custody.
The officers had been taken to Bellevue Hospital, as was the suspect. All three had been in secure situation, Sewell mentioned.
FBI brokers had been on the scene. Assistant FBI Director Mike Driscoll instructed reporters the bureau was “trying to determine the nature of this attack,” however there seemed to be no “ongoing” risk.
At a information convention with Sewell and different regulation enforcement officers, Mayor Adams praised the police dealing with of the incident.
“These officers responded in an admirable, professional manner,” Adams mentioned.
The incident came about simply outdoors the safety zone in Times Square, the place 1000’s gathered for the annual New Year’s Eve ball drop. Police screened revelers for contraband resembling alcohol, giant luggage, and weapons.
The assault on the three cops occurred 10 brief blocks north and one lengthy block west of the guts of the Times Square.
In an earlier incident round 8:45 p.m., two males had been taken into custody after they acquired right into a knife battle on the intersection of W. forty second Street and sixth Avenue, close to Bryant Park, additionally outdoors the Times Square safety zone.
One of the lads was taken to Bellevue Hospital, and each had been taken into police custody.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”
