Radicalized Maine teenager pleads not guilty to Times Square machete attack

An alleged jihadist accused of attacking three New York City police officers with a foot-long knife on New Year’s Eve pleaded not guilty to a range of state charges on Wednesday.

Trevor Bickford, 19, of Maine, avoided eye contact with Acting Judge Gregory Carro when he pleaded guilty during a brief Manhattan Supreme Court hearing.

Dressed in brown prison garb, Bickford remained impassive as he was escorted into the courtroom, his wrists cuffed in front of him, to be charged with an 18-count indictment.

A New England teenager is accused of assaulting a group of policemen working as holiday guards on the corner of West 52nd Street and Eighth Avenue around 10:10 p.m. Dec. 31.

He was holding a kukri, a machete-like bladed weapon, according to the indictment and court documents.


Trevor Bickford, 19, is on his way to answer allegations that he attacked three New York City police officers on New Year's Eve.
Trevor Bickford, 19, is accused of assaulting three NYPD officers on New Year’s Eve.
Stephen Hirsh

Bickford, who law enforcement sources said had been on the FBI’s radar about three weeks prior to the attack, stabbed the 23-year-old officer from behind, fracturing the policeman’s skull and leaving a wound that required internal and external stitches. prosecutors said.

He allegedly shouted “Allah Akbar!” or “God is great!” – shortly before the cuts, which also wounded two other officers. One of the cops managed to back away from Bickford, draw a gun and shoot him in the shoulder. After that, he was arrested by the police.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement that the indictment, including charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault on a police officer, demonstrates “how seriously we take this incident.”

Six of the state’s charges against Bickford are terrorism-related, the district attorney said, allowing for a tougher penalty.

Bickford is due back in court on May 3.


It is believed that a machete-like knife was used in the attack.
A machete-like knife allegedly used by Bickford.
NYPD

He also appeared in federal court in Manhattan on Monday to answer four counts of attempted murder of US government officers and employees. Although he did not file a guilty plea, he agreed to remain behind bars pending trial.

Federal investigators believe that Bickford radicalized in the summer of 2022, in part due to Islamist propaganda that included teachings from an al-Qaeda “spiritual guide”.

According to police sources, he became obsessed with Islam and started reading the Quran daily. He also suffered from depression and skipped medication for over a year, one of the sources said.

Bragg said in a statement on Wednesday that Bickford planned to carry out jihad and he targeted the officers because they were uniformed and armed.


Bickford on a stretcher after the attack.
One of the officers shot Bickford in the shoulder after he approached them on Eighth Avenue between 51st and 52nd Streets.
Paul Martinka

“Trevor Bickford allegedly carried out planned attacks on three NYPD officers in Times Square on New Year’s Eve as they were doing their duty to protect our city,” Bragg said. “These brave officers served on the front lines so New Yorkers and New Year’s visitors could stay safe.”

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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