NEW YORK: Three New York Police Department officers were struck by a man wielding a machete in an unprovoked attack, including one officer stabbed in the head during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Times Square, reported CNN.
The condition of all three police officers is stable. They were struck by a man wielding a machete in an unprovoked attack near Times Square, according to the NYPD commissioner.
The incident took place at 10.00 pm on Saturday (local time) on West 52nd Street and 8th Avenue, outside a Times Square New Year’s Eve security screening zone, said Commissioner Keechant Sewell, reported CNN.
One officer, a recent graduate of the police academy, suffered a skull fracture and a large laceration to his head, Sewell said.
Another officer, an 8-year veteran, suffered a laceration, said the commissioner.
The suspect, identified only as a 19-year-old man, approached an officer and attempted to strike him over the head with a machete, he said.
The suspect then struck two additional officers before one fired his service weapon, striking the suspect in the shoulder. The suspect is being treated for his injuries, he said.
The FBI, NYPD and Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating, officials said in an early New Year’s Day joint news conference, reported CNN.
“I want to be very clear … there is no ongoing threat,” said Mike Driscoll, the FBI assistant director in charge of the New York field office.
“We believe this was a sole individual at this time,” he said, adding, “There is nothing to indicate otherwise.”
Driscoll said the FBI, through the task force, is working closely with NYPD to determine the nature of the attack and “will run every lead to the ground.”
The authorities did not elaborate on a possible motive and said the investigation is in the preliminary stage, reported CNN.
New York Mayor Eric Adams praised the police response, saying responding officers immediately secured the scene and acted “with a level of professionalism that we expect from all of our officers.”
After getting their fellow officers’ assistance and subduing the suspect, responding officers returned to their posts “because we still had a city we had to protect,” Adams said, referencing New Year’s Eve celebrations. (ANI)