By contrast, he noted a recent case in Maryland, where a teenager posted on Instagram that he wanted to shoot up his high school and was reported to a school resource officer by classmates. They tried to restrict his ability to travel, but look what happened.". Bickford does not have a criminal record, the four officials said. A man charged with attacking police with a machete near New York's Times Square on New Year's Eve has been transferred to U.S. custody and made his initial court appearance. Upon arrival in New York the suspect made a large donation with the cash to the Bowery Mission, which investigators believe was meant to satisfy a Muslim tenet of charity. "Like, I'm sure in the back of all of our minds, now this could be a target for, you know, shooting. Police working New Year's Eve detail in Times Square were wounded by a machete-wielding man who struck multiple officers in the head in what law enforcement are investigating as a possible targeted attack. Police officials say they are reviewing the body-worn camera footage the officers were wearing at the time of the attack. The man approached the first officer just after 10 p.m. Saturday and attempted to strike him over the head with a machete, Sewell said. The official could not publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. Youre trying to steal my identity, Mr. Rojas stated during that incident, according to a criminal complaint. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. 4 min read. People lying on the floor to avoid the gunshots.". "Those officers discharged one round. In Jamaica Queens in 2014, a radicalized man named Zale Thompson attacked three officerswithout warning with a hatchet, nearly killing one of the officers. Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States, Christopher A. Wray, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI"), Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, and Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police . "The reality is that this threat of online radicalization from organizations like ISIS and al-Qaida really never went away.". Navy veteran Richard Rojas was charged with one count of second degree murder, 18 attempted murders and 38 assaults, for which he was found not responsible because of insanity.. After being detained, Rojas was found to have ingested phencyclidine before the crash. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. And there was Thomas Henry, a retired Metropolitan Transportation Authority worker who was with family; he was hit in the head and has lasting cognitive issues. 1:15. The attack and sound of a gunshot briefly sent some people in the crowd running, but the incident did not impact the festivities in Times Square, which continued uninterrupted. The concussed officer had just graduated from the police academy Friday, and his first assignment was the New Years Eve detail in Times Square, she said. ABC News' Josh Margolin, Keith Harden, Patricio Chile and Mark Crudele contributed to this report. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. It was discovered in a wooded area, along with a bag containing food and a sleeping bag. Global Edition. Still, police allege he was able to carry out what could be New York's latest terror attack. The attack happened near 52nd Street and 8th Avenue just after 10 p.m. Saturday, less than two hours before the ball dropped in Times Square to ring in 2023. After the suspect's mother flagged her son's gravitation toward Islamic extremism last month, the FBI interviewed Bickford and determined he sought to travel to Afghanistan to fight for the cause, law enforcement sources told ABC News. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. All three officers were released from the hospital on Sunday. Payton Gendron is led into the courtroom for a hearing at Erie County Court in Buffalo, N.Y., on May 19, 2022. Police working New Year's Eve detail in Times Square were wounded by a machete-wielding man who struck multiple officers in the head in what law enforcement are investigating as a possible targeted attack. "Earlier today, Mr. Bickford was arraigned from Bellevue Hospital after languishing in NYPD custody for nearly four days despite a well-established court requirement that an arraignment take place within 24 hours of arrest," Legal Aid said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. Authorities say Bickford whipped. At approximately 10:10 p.m., at 52nd Street and Eighth Avenue, blocks away from the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, BICKFORD attacked three NYPD officers, who were detailed to the joint federal-state law enforcement operation to protect the New Year's Eve celebration. The judge ordered another court hearing for the end of the week. NEW YORK A man accused of attacking police with a machete near New York's Times Square on New Year's Eve is now facing federal terrorism charges after he became determined to wage jihad. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. NBC New York's Ida Siegal reports. The FBI's Joint Terrorism task Force is also investigating. Cohen noted that suspects in several recent mass casualty incidents had been evaluated by law enforcement prior to committing the acts of violence, including Payton Gendron, the teenager who pleaded guilty to killing 10 Black people in a racially motivated shooting in Buffalo, and Nikolas Cruz, who pleaded guilty to killing 17 students in 2018 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. It is powerful evidence that he knew what had happened in Times Square., Driver in Fatal Times Square Attack Found Not Responsible Because of Mental Illness, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/22/nyregion/driver-times-square-attack-terrorism.html. Expert contends protocols for evaluating potential suspects are "out of date.". "Just goes to show you, if it's not your first day, it could be your last day. Prosecutors countered that even if Mr. Rojas had been experiencing delusions during the incident, he was competent enough to know that he was harming people. A couple minutes later, you can see police clearing everyone out of the area, many quickly rushing by, others running. WASHINGTON To mark a full year since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US today announced another $2 billion in weapons for Kyiv, including three types of drones that are not publicly known to have been sent before.. The attack is being investigated as a possible incident of terrorism because of online postings Bickford made before the attack. The decision in New York Supreme Court in Manhattan was one of only a few recent instances in which a jury found that the illness outweighed evidence of guilt.Its a humane verdict, one of Mr. Rojass lawyers, Enrico De Marco, said as he left the courthouse. The defense asked jurors to find Mr. Rojas not responsible for his actions. Wake up to the day's most important news. The horrifying episode unfolded at 9:40 a.m . 1:15. ), ALSO READ | 'Eyewitness to 2022,' examining the stories that defined the year, * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams) - 2NDW2TY from Alamy's library of . Authorities believe Bickford has owned the weapon for about a year. The suspect was taken into custody, she said. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en consultant vos paramtres de vie prive. A prosecutor, Alfred Peterson, in his summation, reprised the grievous injuries suffered by several people Mr. Rojas struck with his car, some of whom had testified. They went to the courts, they invoked the red flag law. The judge who heard the case, Daniel Conviser, ordered that Mr. Rojas be held, and said he would draft an examination order. He is expected back in court for a grand jury on Friday. I saw the office and waited until he was alone. John Dias is an Emmy-nominated reporter. He understood that his role saved lives of New Yorkers today.". Both officers were hospitalized, one with a fractured skull and the other with a bad cut. NEW YORK --The suspect in the New Year's Eve machete attack just outside theTimes Squarecelebration was charged Monday with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of assault. Bickford is accused of carrying out the attack about two hours before midnight on New Year's Eve, just blocks away from Times Square, where heavy crowds of revelers were counting down to 2023. neighbor Steve Isles said. Crowds are not allowed access to the blocks to see performances and the midnight ball drop without being screened at checkpoints where officers use metal-detecting wands to screen for weapons. He understood that his role saved lives of New Yorkers today, Adams said. There was Caroline Johns, an executive assistant, who was out for lunch; she suffered a punctured lung. "We believe this was a sole individual. Anyone can read what you share. That voice played a key role in the incident on Seventh Avenue, Mr. De Marco, the defense lawyer, told jurors during his summation, saying that a godlike person called James commands him to crash his car into people., Hes following a command from a supernatural being, Mr. De Marco added. Staff and customers could be seen looking outside at what they thought were two people fighting. "The school resource officer went to the threat management unit, which did a threat assessment and deemed the person to be high risk," Cohen said. He also allegedly said he considered all government officials targets because they couldn't be proper Muslims given the United States government's support of Israel. New York City is asking residents to give up their bikes to illegal aliens. The report prompted the FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force to look into the suspect, the law enforcement sources said. Oct. 5, 2010. He could still face federal terrorism charges. I charged another officer but dropped the knife and I tried to get the police officer's gun but couldn't," Bickford allegedly told detectives. Police say attack happened around 10 p.m. Just after 10 p.m. he went to the Times Square checkpoint at West 52nd Street and 8th Avenue where officers check bags for weapons or suspicious. Authorities say Bickford whipped out a machete and attacked the three officers, striking two of them in the head. Were not dealing with a group of sophisticated, ideologically motivated foreign terrorists. The attack happened around 10pm near Times Square on New Year's Eve Two officers, including a rookie NYPD cop, were injured in the attack By Andrea Cavallier For Dailymail.Com Published:. The attacks occurred outside the security screening area set up around Times Square for the traditional New Year's Eve ball drop. First published on January 2, 2023 / 12:31 PM. Richard Rojas, a Navy veteran, spiraled after he was discharged. The person got additional mental health care.". It was very, very terrifying to the public and people that work here," Sicilliano said. A year before he killed eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis in 2021, Brandon Scott Hole was taken into custody by police and temporarily placed in a mental detention facility for further assessment after his mother complained he assaulted her when she asked what he was going to do with the gun, officials said. Download this stock image: New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly discusses Saturday evening's Times Square incident during a news conference at One Police Plaza, Sunday May 2, 2010 in New York. Barriers are set up to prevent vehicle attacks in the secure area. Multiple law enforcement sources identified the suspect as Trevor Bickford, 19, of Wells, Maine. He may have traveled to New York City specifically to target police, sources told the networks. Two of the officers were struck. The 19-year-old being held by New York City police as the suspect in a New Year's Eve machete attack against three police officers just outside a Times Square security screening zone carried. Multiple law enforcement officials said they were looking into whether the attacker traveled to New York specifically to target police on New Years Eve. His trial, which took place over several weeks, centered on his mental condition at the time of the incident. The suspect, hospitalized after an NYPD officer opened fire in defense, expressed pro-jihadist views overnight and possessed terrorist propaganda, law enforcement sources said. Two psychiatrists also took the stand for the defense, with one testifying that Mr. Rojas gave a name, James, to a disembodied voice that he said he heard. https://t.co/Waaux2hUTt pic.twitter.com/EijU7QUgkQ. Trevor Bickford's mom reported his terrorist leanings to police weeks before Times Square attack. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The package, which also includes ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), laser-guided rocket systems and 155mm artillery rounds, is being provided . By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. One of the injured officers, an eight-year veteran of the NYPD, suffered a laceration to the head, officials said. But toxicology tests did not detect the powerful mood-altering drug in Mr. Rojass urine or blood, Mr. Peterson said, suggesting that was another indication that the defendant was aware of what he had done. The judge sided with the prosecution, ordered Bickford remanded after his arraignment. "He stated he specifically targeted the uniformed police officer because an officer is a man in uniform with a weapon and often in the military are targets for the defendant," Nicholas added as she formally requested remand. "We're still, from an investigator's perspective, looking for that Mohamed Atta," said Cohen, referring to one of the hijackers in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Trevor Bickford, 19, suspected in the machete attack on three New York City police officers near Times Square on New Year's Eve, is pictured here in this undated photo. A rookie NYPD police officer on his first day on the job was attacked with a machete on New Year's Eve just blocks Times Square and police are probing whether the suspect is a recently. The attack happened a little after 10 p.m. about eight blocks from Times Square, just outside the high-security zone where revelers are screened for weapons. "There has been no 'attack' today or over the weekend in New York City as referenced by that Instagram post," the department wrote in an email. The attack happened a little after 10 p.m. about eight blocks from Times Square, just outside the high . "Weve just received initial discovery from the District Attorneys office, and well have more to say about this case after a thorough review and investigation. The random box-cutter attack on an Asian woman in Times Square was a hate crime, cops said Tuesday -- as they busted and charged the suspect in the case. Sewell asked any witnesses to contact the NYPD. Prosecutors said he was culpable, but failed to sway jurors in the 2017 attack that left one dead and injured nearly two dozen. When Mr. Rojas returned to the Bronx, friends said, he seemed paranoid and irritable, expressing scorn for the government and railing against taxes, parking tickets and police stops. SHARE. Another video obtained by CBS2 shows more than 20 police officer running on 52nd Street toward the crime scene. The Times Square assault on three New York City police officers came just weeks after the suspect, 19-year-old Trevor Bickford of Maine, was placed on a federal watch list, authorities said. He is charged with two counts of attempted murder of a police officer and two counts of attempted assault. https://t.co/ha11b02Fvq. A deranged homeless man allegedly shoved an Asian woman to her death in front of an oncoming subway train Saturday morning in Times Square, police said. Relatives had reportedly contacted law enforcement in recent weeks to report their concerns that he was gravitating toward dangerous Islamist ideologies. The actions that police officers must take every day are life-threatening situations," Adams said. Prosecutors sayBickford intended to carry out a jihad,and the charges reflect thegravity of his actions. Should authorities determine the attack was motivated by an Islamist ideology it would make it the first-ever terror incident associated with New Year's Eve in Times Square, something the NYPD and FBI have long feared and prepared for. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The New York Police Department released video on Sunday showing an unidentified Black male seen wearing a black zip up jacket and gray or white sweatpants rush up behind a woman at. He had expressed some desire to travel to Afghanistan in the past, the officials said. (The Associated Press contributed to this report. The NYPD released an image of a weapon, saying it had been recovered at the scene. He doesnt go to jail, Mr. Elsman said. An "unprovoked" machete attack on three New York City police officers near Times Square on New Year's Eve is being investigated as a possible terrorist incident. After the attack, police officials said, Mr. Rojas claimed he had smoked PCP. A month after an insane attack on Times Square by a driver who ploughed through a crowd killing a woman and injuring 22 people, thousands brought an outpouring of peace through yoga on. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Three officers assigned to New Years Eve celebrations in New York City's Times Square area were injured by a machete-wielding teenager who expressed militant support for Islam, law enforcement officials said. Both federal and local law enforcement stressed at Sunday morning's news conference the attack appeared to be an isolated incident and there was no longer a threat. ___ Times Square attack reminds us terrorism still looms By Peter Brookes January 10, 2023 03:14 PM W hile we'd all like to think that the threat of Islamist terrorism is but just a bad memory,. His mother and aunt notified law enforcement in recent weeks about their concerns he was gravitating toward dangerous Islamist ideologies, the sources said. Times Square machete attack suspect now facing terrorism charges The 19-year-old suspect who allegedly attacked three police officers with a machete at a New Year's Eve celebration near Times. While Bickford was placed on a federal no-fly list, he took an Amtrak train to New York allegedly intent on attacking police officers, authorities said. The knife attack and gunfire startled a long line of crowds waiting to join the NYE celebrations. Federal and local law enforcement investigators are combing through the suspect's online postings, which indicate recent extremist Islamic radicalization, the sources said. NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell has said two of the cops suffered blows to the head. Investigators trying to pinpoint motive in NYPD machete attack, Suspect charged with attempted murder in New Year's Eve machete attack. ", Cohen added, "Thats why we continue to see instances where people come to the attention of the bureau or law enforcement, theyre assessed that way, they dont meet that threshold, they dont become the subject of a full-field investigation, yet they go out and commit an act of violence.". Adams spoke at the officer's graduation ceremony, he said. Should authorities determine the attack was motivated by an Islamist ideology, it would make it the first terror incident associated with New Years Eve in Times Square, authorities said. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Large bags and coolers are banned. Times Square New Year's Eve attack: Suspect arrested and faces attempted murder charges | CNN Suspect in Times Square machete attack on New Year's Eve arrested and faces attempted. Video shows the chaotic moments after the man allegedly attacked. Scholz: "In the event of an attack, we will defend every square centimeter of NATO territory together" Update from March 1, 4:35 p.m.: For Latvia, Germany's help is crucial to Ukraine's survival in the Russian war of aggression. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters) A man accused of attacking police with a machete near New York's Times Square on New Year's Eve was arrested on charges of attempting to murder officers, police said. Transgender rapist Isla Bryson jailed for eight years for attacks on two women when she was a man. She said he traveled to New York by way of Boston roughly three or four days ago. The new publication "Lectures in Tanya" teaches in English the Tanya Shiurim of famed Chozer and teacher Rabbi Yoel Kahn obm, which are infused with the authentic warmth of Chassidus and deep explanations. Police sources say the bomb squad responded to a suspicious package Sunday in Forest Park, Queens that may have been tied to the case. Three police officers wounded in the attack are in stable condition. Watch as Police Commissioner Sewell & Mayor Adams provide an update on a police involved incident in Manhattan. They are expected to recover. Part of HuffPost News. 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