(New York) The suspected perpetrator of the machete attack that injured two New York police officers near Times Square during New Year’s Eve festivities was officially arrested and charged with attempted murder on Monday, according to US authorities.
Trevor Bickford, 19, will also face attempted assault charges, New York police said in a statement.
The suspect was also hospitalized after the events of Saturday evening, since the police shot him in the shoulder to subdue him. It was not immediately possible to confirm whether a lawyer had been appointed to represent him.
A source from US authorities confirmed to The Associated Press that investigators are looking into the hypothesis of an attack motivated by motives related to radical Islamism.
The attack took place shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday night, a few blocks from the heavily policed perimeter of Times Square during the Dec. 31 celebrations, where everyone must submit to a body search to gain entry.
The man allegedly attacked three police officers with a machete, two of whom had to be hospitalized: one due to a fractured skull and the other for a severe laceration. However, their lives were not in danger, nor was that of the suspect.
The suspect who was arrested would have acted alone, according to the deputy director of the FBI office in New York, Michael Driscoll.
The New York police organize a major operation every year to ensure the safety of the crowds that gather in Times Square to welcome the new year. Thousands of officers are deployed in the area, including many recruits. One of the injured officers had also graduated from the police academy no later than Friday.
All of Times Square is accessible only through checkpoints where officers use metal detectors to spot weapons. Large bags and coolers are prohibited. Barriers are also installed to prevent vehicle attacks.
However, the security perimeter cannot extend indefinitely. The attack took place on the 8e avenue, which is often crowded with a dense crowd trying to get to one of the entrances to the official site.