A man wielding a machete injured three New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers near New Year’s celebrations in Times Square, according to authorities.
The attack happened at West 52nd Street and 8th Avenue outside the security screening zone Saturday at roughly 10:11 p.m., NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said during a news conference, noting that she was sharing preliminary information.
The suspect, identified as a 19-year-old man, approached one officer from behind “unprovoked” and attempted to strike him over the head with a machete, Sewell said. The suspect then allegedly struck two other officers in the head with the weapon.
Watch as Police Commissioner Sewell & Mayor Adams provide an update on a police involved incident in Manhattan. https://t.co/ha11b02Fvq
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) January 1, 2023
One of the officers shot the suspect in the shoulder, Sewell said.
All three officers were taken to a hospital and are in stable condition. The suspect was also taken to the hospital for treatment. The NYPD shared a photo of the weapon allegedly used in the attack on social media.
This is the weapon that was recovered at the scene. https://t.co/Waaux2hUTt pic.twitter.com/EijU7QUgkQ
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) January 1, 2023
One officer, identified as an eight-year veteran, sustained a laceration to the head. Another officer, who graduated from the police academy on Friday, suffered a skull fracture and large laceration, Sewell said.
New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams said he spoke to one of the injured officers while he was receiving treatment. Adams said the officer was in “good spirits” and “understood that his role saved lives of New Yorkers today.”
Adams also said there were “no credible threats” to New Yorkers at this time.
The FBI is assisting in the investigation into the incident.
“I want to be clear that the FBI, through the Joint Terrorism Task Force, is working very closely with [NYPD] to determine the nature of this attack,” Mike Driscoll, the FBI assistant director in charge of the New York Field Office, said during the news conference.
“I want to be very clear … there is no ongoing threat,” Driscoll added. “We believe this was a sole individual at this time. There is nothing to indicate otherwise.”