A man attacked three New York police officers with a machete just hours after the city’s New Year’s Eve celebration near Times Square, authorities said Sunday.
Two of the officers were injured in the head for which they were hospitalized in a care center.
A rookie officer on patrol on his first day suffered a fractured skull, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at a news conference.
The other officer, who has served eight years on the NYPD, suffered a serious injury. The three officials are in stable condition pending his speedy recovery, a spokesman said on Sunday.
Identified as 19-year-old Trevor Brickford by police sources, according to CBS News, he was shot in the shoulder. He is also expected to recover from the injury.
Bickford had been placed on an FBI terrorist watch list after an aunt disclosed that she had been radicalized online and had expressed a desire to travel outside the country and fight alongside Islamic extremists, the outlet reported.
The incident took place just eight blocks from Times Square, shortly after 10:00 p.m., where thousands of people gathered for New York City’s annual New Year’s Ball.
For his part, Mayor Eric Adams said he had talked to one of the injured officers while they were suturing his wound.
“He was in a good mood,” Adams declared. “He understood that his role saved the lives of New Yorkers today.”
He also applauded the actions of the agents and said that the incident was an isolated event.
“We are very pleased with the response and how our officers handled this situation. All three officers are in stable condition and there are no credible threats to New Yorkers at this time,” Adams said.
On the other hand, the deputy director in charge of the local FBI office in New York explained that the criminal possibly acted alone.
The FBI together with the New York Police Department and the Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating the attack, but they did not reveal whether they determined the motive that led the suspect to act in that way.
If New York authorities determine whether the attack was motivated by an extremist Islamic ideology, it would be the first New Year’s Eve-related terrorism-related incident in Times Square.
The third officer was injured after being struck while moving barricades at the scene to allow patrol cars and ambulances to quickly move to the scene. He is stable.
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