A group of New York police officers were attacked by a hatchet-wielding assailant today, and CNN is reporting that the man’s Facebook page has “links to extremism.” The details:
Four police officers and a woman were injured, and a hatchet-wielding man was fatally shot during a bloody altercation Thursday in Queens.
Four rookie police officers were working near 162nd Street and Jamaica Avenue when a freelance photographer asked them to pose for a photo in front of a Conway store. While they were posing, another man, described as a 32-year-old male, attacked without saying a word, Commissioner Bratton said at a press conference Thursday.
“The suspect was described as having charged at the officers,” Bratton said.
Swinging an 18-inch metal hatchet, the man first hit a 24-year-old officer in the right arm — he was later taken to Jamaica Hospital in stable condition.
The suspect kept swinging, striking a second officer in the back of the head, critically injuring the 25-year-old.
The other officers fired multiple shots, killed the suspect at the scene.
A 29-year-old woman passing by was struck by gunfire in the lower back. She underwent surgery at Jamaica Hospital and is in stable condition.
Bratton said he didn’t believe the photographer was working with the attacker, but they are now reviewing his pictures.
The attack comes the day after a terrorist killed a soldier and attacked the parliament building in Ottawa.
First on #CNN: NYPD suspects possible tie to Islamic extremism in hatchet attack injuring 2 officers – NYPD source pic.twitter.com/oFjyitZw1o
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) October 23, 2014
NEW: #NYPD releases video of man charging officers in hatchet attack. 2 cops injured – attacker shot & killed #nbc4ny pic.twitter.com/LfUcwkVfQG
— Steven Bognar (@Bogs4NY) October 24, 2014
This is the hatchet used by a man in a random attack against 4 NYPD officers today in queens pic.twitter.com/uyts7kM9LQ
— Jason Morrell (@CNNJason) October 24, 2014
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