A Maine man pleaded guilty Thursday to attempted murder, admitting that he attacked and attempted to kill three New York City police officers with a machete near Times Square on New Year's Eve a year ago.
Trevor Bickford, 20, of Wells, Maine, pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to three counts of attempted murder and three counts of assault on a U.S. employee or police officer. Combined, these charges could carry a maximum sentence of 120 years in prison.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 11.
New York assault suspect Trevor Bickford charged with attempted murder of police officer
“On December 31, 2022, I attempted to kill three NYPD police officers on duty in Manhattan with a knife,” Bickford said after being asked about the crime. “I know what I did was wrong and I'm sorry.”
Authorities said Bickford was attacked and injured on the edge of a high-security area where officers screen revelers before entering blocks around Times Square. The attack occurred about two hours before the start of the new year.
Authorities said Bickford yelled “Allahu Akbar” (Arabic for God is great), hit the officer in the head with a machete and tried to take the officer's gun. One police officer suffered a serious skull fracture.
Pedestrians walk through a nearly empty Times Square ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations on Thursday, December 31, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
All three officers were injured in the attack. Bickford was shot in the shoulder by police and taken to the hospital. Authorities said he studied extremist Islamic ideology and decided to wage jihad against U.S. officials.
During the proceeding, Judge P. Kevin Castel questioned Mr. Bickford and acknowledged that he had pled guilty without any agreement with prosecutors.
At the beginning of the hearing, Mr Bickford said he takes three types of medication to treat schizoaffective disorder.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Kushner told the judge that evidence in the case included a foot-long machete and “there is no doubt that Bickford was a military-age man who attacked the officers.” It also includes a statement made after his arrest in which he said, “I have no experience.''
Homegrown terrorist Trevor Bickford appears in court in connection with New York attack
She said the officers were part of a joint task force of city and federal personnel tasked with protecting the city on New Year's Eve.
She said Bickford intended to kill “as many” uniformed men he encountered.
Kushner said he intended to die a martyr in the attack, but believes he failed because no one died.
Prosecutors said Bickford initially intended to go overseas and fight terrorists there, but ultimately decided to carry out attacks in the United States instead. The suspect told investigators that he walked around Times Square before the attack and was “trying to find the right time to kill.”
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After his plea, Bickford was returned to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a federal facility. He still faces state charges in connection with the attack.
