Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Times Square Machete Attack

A Maine man accused of attacking New York City police officers with a machete during a New Year's Eve celebration has pleaded guilty.

Who Was in Court?

Trevor Bickford, 20, of Wells, Maine pleaded guilty today in a New York courtroom to three counts of attempted murder of officers and employees of the U.S. Government and persons assisting them, as well as three counts of assault on the officers and employees of the U.S. Government and persons assisting them.

What Happened in Times Square?

The charges stem from an attack on New York City Police Officers, by the Maine man, using a machete-style knife that happened in Times Square on New Year's Eve, December 31st, 2022.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bickford told authorities that he traveled from Maine to New York City to, in his own words, ''wage jihad and kill as many targets as possible. He packed a large machete-type blade and went to Times Square on New Year's Eve, when he knew there would be huge crowds. Bickford chose to ambush three NYPD officers, declaring "Allahu Akbar," which is an Arabic phrase meaning 'God is great.' The sentiment is often used by radical Islamic extremists during similar attacks.

justice.gov

All three officers suffered serious injuries. One of the police officers was able to shoot Bickford in the shoulder, which stopped the violent assault. He would later tell authorities that his goal was to 'kill as many military-aged men who worked for the U.S. Government as he could' before becoming a martyr himself.

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When Will He Be Sentenced?

Each of the three attempted murder charges carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The three charges of assault of officers and employees of the U.S. Government and persons assisting them each carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. If he is given the maximum sentence for each count, to be served consecutively, Bickford could be facing a sentence of 120 years in prison. He will be sentenced at a later date by a Federal District Court Judge.

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