NEW YORK (AP) — A man charged with attacking police with a machete near New York’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve has been arrested on charges of attempting to kill a police officer, police said Monday. investigate whether he was motivated by Islamic extremists.
19-year-old Trevor Bickford is also facing attempted assault charges in an attack that injured two police officers on the edge of a high-security zone where a crowd of people were celebrating the New Year, the NYPD said in a release. rice field.
Bickford, of Wells, Maine, was shot in the shoulder by police during a confrontation and was hospitalized, awaiting arraignment. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could speak to the allegations. The Associated Press left a message for his relatives.
The riots broke out about two hours before midnight on Saturday. It’s just outside the area where the rioters have their weapons inspected before they enter. One of the world’s largest and most famous New Year’s celebrations.
Authorities said two of the officers were beaten with a machete before the suspect was shot. Two police officers were hospitalized, one with a skull fracture and his other with a severe cut, but are expected to recover. So did the suspect.
A law enforcement official familiar with the matter told the AP on Sunday that investigators believe Bickford traveled to New York City earlier in the week. I am trying to find out if you made a special trip to
New York City police and federal officials are still trying to determine a motive, and investigators are investigating Bickford’s online posts that contain references to Islamic extremist views, officials said. He could not speak publicly about the details of the investigation, he told AP on condition of anonymity.
Michael Driscoll, assistant director of the FBI’s New York branch, said on Sunday that investigators believe the attacker acted alone.
Violent attacks forced some people to flee temporarily, but festivities continued in Times Square.
___
Associated Press reporters Eric Tucker of Washington, Michael Balsamo of Kansas City, Missouri, and Michael R. Sisak of New York contributed to this report.