'He knew what he was doing. He knew why he was doing it and he thought he would die in the attack,' Thomas Galati, NYPD Chief of Intelligence and Counterterrorism, told ABC News. 'He did yell out 'Allahu Akbar.''
police officers is due in court as soon as Tuesday to face attempted murder and attempted assault charges.
Trevor Bickford, 19, has been charged with attempted murder for attacking New York City police officers on New Year's Eve near Times Square.Galati said the FBI interviewed Bickford last month in Maine after his mother reported her concern that her son was becoming radicalized. The FBI determined Bickford wanted to fight in Afghanistan and placed him on a federal watch list to prevent him from travelling overseas.
But counterterrorism experts said the attack is yet another example of law enforcement, more than 20 years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, being unable to deal with threats they are aware of prior to an attack. Other examples include the Nov. 19 Colorado Springs nightclub shooting, the 2018 Parkland, Florida, high school massacre and the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New year, new beginnings: How to make attainable changes for the new year and beyondNew year, new beginnings: How to make attainable changes for the new year and beyond. That’s why the non-profit United Way of Tucson makes those new beginnings or new goals just one click away.
Read more »
3 police officers near Times Square injured in machete attack on New Year's Eve: OfficialsNEW: 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.
Read more »
3 officers injured in New Year’s Eve machete attack near Times Square, officials sayThe suspect was shot and hospitalized after attacking New York police officers just outside a high-security zone set up near New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square, authorities said.
Read more »
3 police officers near Times Square injured in machete attack on New Year's Eve: OfficialsNEW YORK — 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. The suspect is allegedly a 19-year-old man from Maine, whose online posts indicate recent Islamic radicalization, sources told ABC News.
Read more »
Terrorism probed in New Year's Eve Times Square machete attack on cops: Sources'Unprovoked, a 19-year-old male approached an officer and attempted to strike him over the head with a machete,' the NYPD commissioner said. 'The male then struck two additional officers in the head with the machete.'
Read more »
Terrorism probed in New Year's Eve Times Square machete attack on cops: Sources'Unprovoked, a 19-year-old male approached an officer and attempted to strike him over the head with a machete,' the NYPD commissioner said. 'The male then struck two additional officers in the head with the machete.'
Read more »