Trevor Bickford, 19, has been charged in a New Year’s Eve machete attack on police near New York City’s Times Square, according to reports.
The alleged attacker is being charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of attempted assault. Mr Bickford allegedly attacked a trio of NYPD officers with a machete, causing one blunt force trauma to the head and leaving a second — a rookie on his first assignment — with a gash across his head.
The officers are recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.
Mr Bickford was shot in the shoulder by a third officer — who was also injured in the alleged attack — and was transported to a hospital.
Around 10pm on Saturday Mr Bickford allegedly attacked police working near Times Square.
Police found Islamic religious material and a letter asking his family members to convert to Islam among his possessions.
Sources speaking to the New York Post allegedly claimed that Mr Bickford became “radicalised” in recent months, though it is unclear what drove his reported conversion and zealotry.
Mr Bickford was reportedly added to the FBI’s “Guardian Watchlist” after allegedly posting online about his desires to travel to Afghanistan and fight alongside Islamic militants.
Source: independent.co.uk