Act Daily News
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Three New York City cops are in steady situation after being struck by a person wielding a machete in an unprovoked assault close to Times Square, in accordance with the NYPD commissioner.
The assault occurred simply after 10 p.m. Saturday on West 52nd Street and eighth Avenue, exterior a Times Square New Year’s Eve safety screening zone, Commissioner Keechant Sewell mentioned.
The suspect, recognized solely as a 19-year-old man, approached an officer and tried to strike him over the top with a machete, Sewell mentioned. The suspect then struck two further officers earlier than one fired his service weapon, placing the suspect within the shoulder. The suspect is being handled for his accidents, Sewell mentioned.
The FBI, NYPD and Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating, officers mentioned in an early New Year’s Day joint news convention.
“I want to be very clear … there is no ongoing threat,” mentioned Mike Driscoll, the FBI assistant director in control of the New York subject workplace.
“We believe this was a sole individual at this time,” he mentioned, including, “There is nothing to indicate otherwise.”
One officer, a latest graduate of the police academy, suffered a cranium fracture and a big laceration to his head, Sewell mentioned. Another officer, an 8-year veteran, suffered a laceration, the commissioner mentioned. She didn’t elaborate on accidents to the third officer.
Driscoll mentioned the FBI, via the duty power, is working intently with NYPD to find out the character of the assault and “will run every lead to the ground.”
The authorities didn’t elaborate on a doable motive and mentioned the investigation is in preliminary levels.
New York Mayor Eric Adams praised the police response, saying responding officers instantly secured the scene and acted “with a level of professionalism that we expect from all of our officers.”
After getting their fellow officers help and subduing the suspect, responding officers returned to their posts “because we still had a city we had to protect,” Adams mentioned, referencing New Year’s Eve celebrations.