Who Is Trevor Bickford? New York Machete Attack Arrest

Trevor Bickford is a 19 year old man from Wells, Maine. Police have accused Bickford of attacking police officers in New York City with a machete.

Trevor Bickford Allegations

Bickford Arrested, Accused Of Assault. “According to the NYPD, Bickford allegedly struck two of the officers in the head with the machete, lacerating one of their heads and breaking the other’s skull. All three officers were taken to a hospital and are expected to recover. Police said one of the officers shot Bickford in the shoulder. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for his injuries. The attack happened just blocks away from Manhattan’s crowded New Year’s Eve ball drop celebration, but was outside the secured area, according to NYPD.” [WMTW]

Bickford Charged With Attempted Murder. “The suspect who attacked three New York City police officers with a machete just outside a security checkpoint for New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square and expressed militant support for Islam was arrested Monday and is facing two counts of attempted murder, police said. Trevor Bickford, a 19-year-old resident of Wells, Maine — a town nearly 300 miles from Times Square — is also facing charges of two counts of attempted assault for the violent attack, police said.” [NBC]

Report: Bickford Took Amtrak From Maine To New York. “ABC News has reported that Bickford traveled by Amtrak from Maine to New York City on Dec. 19. Bickford’s mother, Audra D’Antilio Simpson, posted a tribute to her son on her Facebook page when he turned 19 in July. “So proud and lucky to be able to call you my son. (You’re) an old soul and you amaze me every day with all that you enjoy to explore and do,” Simpson wrote. “I am so beyond proud of the man you are becoming.” Bickford’s father, Tom, died unexpectedly at age 41 in 2018, according to his obituary. He had a “very active” role in the lives of their three sons, and “could often be found coaching them at football and wrestling,” the obituary said.” [Press Herald]

Police Officers Recently Graduated From Academy. “One of the injured officers only graduated from the police academy on Friday, the mayor said. The blocks where the biggest crowds gather to see performances and the midnight ball drop can only be accessed through checkpoints where officers use metal-detecting wands to screen for weapons. Large bags and coolers are banned. Barriers are set up to prevent vehicle attacks in the secure area. The security perimeter can only extend so far, though. The attack took place on 8th Avenue, which is often packed with thick crowds navigating around the frozen zone or trying to find one of the secure entrances.” [WGME]

Report: Bickford Was On FBI Watch List. “The alleged Islamic extremist who stabbed a rookie NYPD cop with a machete near Times Square on New Year’s Eve was on an FBI ‘watchlist’ after being radicalized and vowing to fight in Afghanistan. Trevor Bickford, 19, from Wells, Maine, does not have criminal record according to a preliminary investigation, but police sources say the Bureau in Boston have an open case on him. Bickford is on a ‘guardian list’ because of his radicalization, and The New York Post reports he made statements to his aunt about a desire to go fight in the Middle East, which prompted her to tell the authorities.” [Daily Mail]