A young Maine man who recently became fixated with radical Islamic jihadism wounded two NYPD cops with a massive curved knife just outside the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration, fracturing a rookie officer’s skull before being shot by police, law enforcement sources said Sunday.
Cops and federal investigators are now taking a hard look at the internet history of the 19-year-old suspect, identified by sources as Trevor Bickford of Wells, Maine, to determine if terrorism motivated the bloody holiday attack, law enforcement sources said.
“It’s being investigated as a terror attack, 100%,” one high-ranking NYPD official told the Daily News. “He radicalized about a month ago. He’s not affiliated with any group. It’s more like a lone-wolf situation.”
Bickford expressed extremist beliefs on social media, the official said, adding, “He made threats that he was going to attack a public official.”
The teen tried to swing a machetelike blade into a police officer’s head near Eighth Ave. and 52nd St. about 10:11 p.m. on Saturday, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said. He then whacked two other officers in the head with the giant blade.
