3 officers injured in New Year’s Eve machete attack near Times Square, officials say

Three New York City police officers were injured after being attacked with a machete near New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square, authorities said.

The incident happened just after 10 p.m. ET at West 52nd Street and 8th Avenue, just outside of the high-security zone where revelers are screened at checkpoints, officials said at a news conference early Sunday.

The suspect approached an officer and attempted to strike him over the head with the machete, Commissioner Keechant Sewell said. He then struck two officers in the head with the blade before being shot in the shoulder and apprehended by police, Sewell said.

Multiple law enforcement officials told NBC News they were looking into whether the suspect had previously posted what they called jihadist writings online and traveled to New York to target police on New Year’s Eve.

The officers were hospitalized, one with a fractured skull and another with a bad cut, but were in stable condition, Sewell added. The suspect was also hospitalized, he said.

Mayor Eric Adams told the news conference that he had spoken to one of the wounded officers. “He understood that his role saved lives of New Yorkers today,” Adams said.

The investigation was in its early stages but the suspect was known to law enforcement agencies for his social media postings, officials said, adding that he did not have a past criminal record.

Authorities at the news conference identified the suspect only as a 19-year-old male. Four senior law enforcement officials told NBC News that the man had been identified as Trevor Bickford from Wells, Maine.

Neither the FBI nor NYPD was on the lookout for any additional suspects, officials said.

The NYPD mounts a massive security operation every year during New Year’s Eve celebrations, with thousands of officers deployed in the area around Times Square.

Crowds are not allowed to access the blocks to see performances and the midnight ball drop without being screened at checkpoints where officers use metal-detecting wands to screen for weapons.

Large bags and coolers are banned from the area, while barriers are set up to prevent vehicle attacks in the secure area.

This article first appeared on NBCNews.com.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com