"I heard a lot of people screaming and yelling and I saw the sirens, and it was total chaos.". Mr. Rojas killed one woman and injured a score of people as he sped through one of the citys busiest areas. "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. 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. Prosecutors said he was culpable, but failed to sway jurors in the 2017 attack that left one dead and injured nearly two dozen. His mother and aunt notified law enforcement in recent weeks about their concerns he was gravitating toward dangerous Islamist ideologies, the sources said. Bickford has no prior arrests. News Ukraine Russia Kharkiv Attack. "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. Trevor Bickford, whom senior law enforcement officials have described as a "homegrown violent extremist," is accused of swinging a large knife at three different cops he approached on Eighth Avenue, between 51st and 52nd streets, just after 10 p.m. on New Year's Eve, a night when midtown streets are jam-packed with tourists and holiday revelers. "The attack follows a series of media announcements and propaganda from ISIS affiliates globally that were encouraging supporters to conduct lone actor attacks on targets such as airports and security services," ISD analysts wrote. The FBI evaluated Bickford when his mother informed the agency he was gravitating toward Islamic extremism, officials said. A neighbor in Maine, Steve Isles, told reporters Bickford has two brothers, and they're well known in the neighborhood. Sewell said the attack was unprovoked. They look at individuals holistically. 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. One of the injured officers only graduated from the police academy that Friday, the mayor said. Mayor Hidetaka . 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. 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 knife attack and gunfire startled a long line of crowds waiting to join the NYE celebrations. The suspect said in the diary he regrets disappointing his mother; he also wrote that he wanted his brothers to join him in his fight for Islam, they said. 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. Another hurt officer had just graduated from the police academy on Friday, and as is traditionally the case, his first assignment was the New Year's Eve detail in Times Square. ABC News' Josh Margolin, Keith Harden, Patricio Chile and Mark Crudele contributed to this report. "I acknowledge that it requires additional training, it requires resources, it requires a different way of looking at these issues," Cohen said. Just around the corner, video from a nearby restaurant shows chaos unfolding after the attack. The attack happened shortly after 10 p.m. at West 52nd Street and 8th Avenue, just outside checkpoints for the high-security zone set up for celebrants, officials said at a news conference early Sunday. The NYPD released an image of a weapon that officials recovered at the scene. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. In June 2020 in Brooklyn, Dzenan Camovic stabbed an officer in the neck, stole his gun and used it to fire at responding officers in another jihadist-inspired lone wolf attack. Omar Mateen, who in 2016 killed 49 people and wounded 53 more in a mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, was allowed to legally purchase an AR-style rifle and a handgun, despite his name appearing on a federal watch list after being interviewed three times by the FBI in the years leading up to the massacre at the gay nightclub, according to authorities. "We believe this was a sole individual at this time, there's nothing to suggest otherwise," said Mike Driscoll, assistant director in charge of the New York FBI Field Office. The authority`s directives came after its earlier directives on the issue urging TV channels to adhere to the Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015. While a motive remains under investigation, authorities are not ruling out the possibility that the suspect came to New York City specifically to attack police officers at the Times Square ball drop, law enforcement sources told ABC News. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en consultant vos paramtres de vie prive. One round, and they went back to protecting the people of this city," Adams said. The judge sided with the prosecution, ordered Bickford remanded after his arraignment. If the court finds that the defendant has a dangerous mental disorder, it must then issue an order committing the defendant to the custody of the state commissioner of mental health. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Investigators found some of his belongings in Forest Park Monday morning. The weapon appeared to be a Gurkha knife, a type of curved blade, according to ABC News contributor Darrell M. Blocker, a retired CIA operative. Three police officers wounded in the attack are in stable condition. "But after that we heard the gunshots and once I heard the gunshots, everyone was like rushing to the back of the building, people trying to get in, people trying to get out," owner Mike Sicilano said. John Dias is an Emmy-nominated reporter. The suspect was then shot in the shoulder and wounded by police. Bickford was taken into custody after being shot in the shoulder by a police officer. CBS2's Tim McNicholas spoke to that officer briefly Monday. Nicholas also argued that he poses a "significant flight risk," telling the court Bickford indicated he intended to travel across the United States after leaving New York City and had bought an Amtrak ticket to Miami. Mr. Peterson told jurors that even if Mr. Rojas believed he was striking spirits on the Seventh Avenue sidewalk, he must have known that he was also striking real people, since his ability to execute a U-turn and drive beneath scaffolding without crashing into it showed competence and awareness. A teenager accused of attacking three police officers with a machete near Times Square on New Year's Eve is now facing federal terrorism charges after authorities allege he intended on waging a. Neighbors who knew the suspect and his family told NBC Boston said they were surprised by the allegations. An eight-year veteran suffered a head laceration and a recent police academy graduate endured a skull fracture, she said. The attack took place on 8th Avenue, which is often packed with thick crowds navigating around the frozen zone or trying to find one of the secure entrances. Mr. De Marco also told jurors that Mr. Rojas had not made the statement about wanting to kill people that the police attributed to him. "And it goes on to lay out, basically, a last will and testament: How to divide my belongings, what family members to give things to, where he wants to be buried-'not in the land of non-believers.'". The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is assisting in the investigation. https://t.co/Waaux2hUTt pic.twitter.com/EijU7QUgkQ. The attack happened shortly after 10 p.m. at West 52nd Street and 8th Avenue, just outside checkpoints for the high-security zone set up for celebrants, officials said at a news conference. The FBI determined Bickford allegedly wanted to fight in Afghanistan and placed him on a federal watch list to prevent him from traveling overseas, Galati said. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. Barriers are set up to prevent vehicle attacks in the secure area. Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. I said 'Allauh Akbar.' NEW YORK -- A Pakistani immigrant who tried to set off a car bomb in Times Square was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison . 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. Associated Press wire services helped contribute to this report. Sewell said the man dealt two of the officers blows to the head, giving an 8-year veteran a head laceration and a recent police academy graduate a skull fracture. Times Square bomber sentenced, warns of additional attacks. "We believe this was a sole individual. Adams said that there are no credible threats to New Yorkers at this time, which was reiterated by Sewell and Driscoll. Investigators spent much of the weekend searching the suspect's family home in Wells, Maine. Tuesday, February 28, 2023. Japan's revised three key national security documents, which now clarify the possession of so-called counterstrike capabilities, are expected to boost the country's . "The reality is that this threat of online radicalization from organizations like ISIS and al-Qaida really never went away.". 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. A video of Ukrainian citizens praying in the town square of Kharkiv after Russia invaded the country has gone viral . All Rights Reserved. 1:15. "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. Bickford was a 2022 graduate of Wells High School, where he wrestled and played football, according to the station. They said that after his arrest, he said he was self-radicalized and that he had converted his beliefs about three or four months ago, officials said. 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. Mr. Rojass rampage through one of the citys most crowded areas lasted only minutes, but caused intense panic, conjuring comparisons to an attempted car bombing in Times Square in 2010 and to episodes in which terrorists used automobiles as weapons. Authorities say Bickford whipped. Moments after the attack, Bickford was shot in the shoulder by police. "It just goes to show you, it could be your first day or it could be your last day, the actions that police officers must take every day are life-threatening situations," Adams 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. Mar 1, 2023. "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, has been charged with attempted murder for attacking New York City police officers on New Year's Eve near Times Square. The Times Square attack was not Mr. Rojass first encounter with the law. Sources also say the suspect told federal investigators he was targeting police. ", 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.". "They feel disconnected from community, theyre angry, they're searching for a sense of life meaning, they come from dysfunctional family backgrounds, they spend a considerable amount of time online viewing content placed there by terrorist groups, by extremists, content regarding past shootings and other ideological or extremist content until ultimately they connect with something or a blend of beliefs, or a blend of beliefs and grievances. Bickford was shot in the shoulder amid the chaos that ensued. They believe it belonged to Bickford. This 26-Year-Old Pays $0 to Live in a Luxury Tiny Home' She Built for $35,000 in Her Backyard Take a Look Inside, Kylie Jenner's Ex, Rapper Travis Scott, Wanted in $12,000 Manhattan Nightclub Mayhem, Winter Storm May Bring More NYC Snow Friday and a Complex Mess to Millions: What to Expect. The deranged homeless ex-con accused of randomly shoving a straphanger to her death in a Times Square subway station is due to be arraigned at his hospital bedside Wednesday. He remained in a hospital Tuesday evening, pending an arraignment. The attack happened near 52nd Street and 8th Avenue just after 10 p.m. on New Year's Eve, less than two hours before the ball dropped in Times Square to ring in 2023. "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. Finally, hes going to get the care he really needs.. Terrorist-related propaganda and personal writings were found in his backpack, they said. One News Page Home; Editions. (The Associated Press contributed to this report. In Jamaica Queens in 2014, a radicalized man named Zale Thompson attacked three officerswithout warning with a hatchet, nearly killing one of the officers. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Times Square was targeted for a terrorist attack in May 2010, when a Pakistani immigrant tried to detonate a car bomb in the Crossroads of the World. He said a better approach, increasingly adopted by state and local agencies, is to "look at individuals holistically" when they come to the attention of law enforcement. "But the alternative is we continue to experience the weekly shootings or other mass casualty attacks that we seem to be experiencing today. Slectionnez Grer les paramtres pour grer vos prfrences. He was recently placed on an FBI terror watch list, according to a high-ranking police source. After he allegedly dropped the knife, Nicholas said Bickford indicated he wanted to grab another officer's gun to kill other people but couldn't get the weapon out of the holster. 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. People lying on the floor to avoid the gunshots.". Police provide photo of machete allegedly belonging to 19-year-old suspect. He had expressed some desire to travel to Afghanistan in the past, the officials said. One of the injured officers, an eight-year veteran of the NYPD, suffered a laceration to the head, officials said. 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. A police officer walks after the first public New Year's event since the COVID-19 pandemic, at Times Square, in New York, Jan. 1, 2023. NEW YORK (AP) 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 . Trusted News Discovery Since 2008. David Lyugovski, of California, told ABC News that he saw dozens of officers, some with guns drawn, running toward the scene of the incident. "Threat assessment is a systematic, fact-based method of investigation and examination that blends the collection of analysis of multiple sources of information with published research and practitioner experience, focusing on an individual's patterns of thinking and behavior to determine whether, and to what extent, a person of concern is moving toward an attack," the report states. "People trying to get into the store, people rushing out," said Fiorentina Pizzeria owner Mike Sicilliano. Sources say he was put on the list because his aunt reported he had been radicalized online and expressed a desire to travel overseas and fight with Islamic extremists. The incident took place at around 4:30 a.m. in the area of 162 W 43rd St. Police. Mayor Eric Adams said at the news conferencethat he had spoken to one of the wounded officers. Trusted News Discovery Since 2008. Global; United . 0:00. neighbor Steve Isles said. Two teens suffered cuts after they were attacked by a man in Times Square early Wednesday morning, police said. Global Edition. By Kanishka Singh(Reuters) - The teenager accused of attacking three policemen with a machete on New Year's Eve near Times Square and charged with. It is being probed as a possible terrorist attack. By John Dias, Tim McNicholas, Alice Gainer, Updated on: January 2, 2023 / 11:33 PM Prior to New Years Eve, the NYPD noted in a pre-event assessment that throughout December "multiple pro-ISIS users disseminated extremist propaganda graphics broadly calling for attacks in advance of the New Year, advocating a wide range of low-tech tactics." The horrifying episode unfolded at 9:40 a.m . ___ For Estonia, the news represents a significant turning point in a long and difficult history for the country's Jewish community. Maybe they come to the attention of law enforcement initially because of their online behavior, maybe its other behaviors theyre exhibiting that family or others observe.". Three police officers were wounded in the attack by a 19-year-old male suspect who was shot in the shoulder and arrested, New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at a press conference with Mayor Eric Adams. Police did not have a more exact number Sunday. Were not dealing with a group of sophisticated, ideologically motivated foreign terrorists. The injured police were out of the hospital and expected to recover. A diary found by investigators may have indicated the suspect believed he was on a suicide mission: He left notes about who would inherit belongings and where he wanted to be buried, the sources said. His reality is altered by his acute psychotic state.. 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