Knife Attack on Cops Near Times Square Investigated as Possible Terror Incident: Sources - NBC New York

Two NYPD officers were attacked connected New Year's Eve successful a brazen weapon onslaught conscionable extracurricular the city's yearly Times Square celebrations, elder instrumentality enforcement sources said.

Law enforcement officials said they are looking into whether the antheral who allegedly attacked the officers had antecedently posted what they called jihadist writings online and traveled to New York City to people police. Multiple constabulary sources identified the fishy arsenic 19-year-old Trevor Bickford.

The onslaught occurred astir 10 p.m. connected Manhattan's 8th Avenue betwixt 51st and 52nd streets, astir 1 artifact extracurricular the Times Square perimeter acceptable up for the shot driblet festivities.

Senior constabulary officials said the antheral swung a machete astatine 2 officers connected the engaged street. They were some struck with the limb but not earnestly injured.

At slightest 1 serviceman fired upon the fishy — who sources said is primitively from Wells, Maine — striking him successful the shoulder. The sources said his injuries are besides non-life-threatening. A preliminary reappraisal shows the antheral has nary erstwhile arrests but helium was known to national and section instrumentality enforcement due to the fact that of erstwhile online postings, the sources added.

The antheral appears to beryllium a lone histrion successful the plot, but officials stressed the probe was inactive successful its preliminary stages.

The weapon onslaught and gunfire startled a agelong enactment of crowds waiting to articulation the NYE celebrations. A section pizza store worker said panicked revelers fled amid the chaos.

Police person closed down the contiguous country for their investigation. The adjacent New Year's Eve solemnisation successful Times Square was not impacted.