NEW YORK CITY, New York — A Wells man accused of attacking three New York City police officers with a machete on New Year’s Eve is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.
Prosecutors say 19-year-old Trevor Bickford specifically went after police officers with a machete and tried to grab one of their guns before getting shot in the shoulder.
Investigators say Bickford was influenced by Islamic extremists in the months before the attack.
Prosecutors said during a hearing that Bickford came to New York “in order to kill people and carry out Jihad.”
In court documents, prosecutors also outline parts of an interview with Bickford after the attack.
“I wanted to kill an officer in uniform. I saw the officer and waited until he was alone,” Bickford told officers. “I said, ‘Allauh Akbar.’ I walked up and hit him over the head with a kukri. I charged another officer but dropped the knife and I tried to get the police officer’s gun but couldn’t.”
All three injured officers are expected to recover.
One of the officers, who suffered a fractured skull during the attack, had just graduated from the police academy Friday and was on his first day on the job.
Police believe Bickford acted alone. The FBI is investigating reports that he had been radicalized online by Islamic extremists.
A high-ranking police source told CBS News Bickford was placed on the terrorist watchlist after his aunt reported that he’d been radicalized online and expressed a desire to travel overseas and join Islamic extremists.
Bickford faces eight felony counts, including attempted first-degree murder.
He is scheduled to appear in New York criminal court at 9 a.m.