aiexpress – Trevor Bickford admitted his guilt on Thursday for federal charges related to the knife attack that occurred on New Year’s Eve in 2022. The attack targeted three New York Police Department officers who were stationed at a checkpoint near Times Square.
According to prosecutors, Bickford, who was only 19 at the time of the alleged attack, arrived in Maine in December 2022 with the intention of carrying out a jihadist assault on uniformed officers using a “machete-style knife.”
Bickford, who is now 20, admitted guilt to three charges of attempting to murder government officials and three charges of assaulting government officials.
The defendant is potentially facing a maximum prison sentence of 120 years. The court has set the date for his sentencing on April 11th.
According to U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, Bickford specifically chose the well-known annual celebration as a platform to commit violent and hateful acts in the name of jihad. Williams stated that individuals like Bickford, who carry out acts of terrorism in support of misguided ideologies, will now face the consequences of their actions and serve a substantial amount of time in federal prison.
According to the complaint from the Southern District of New York, Bickford reportedly informed investigators that the attack failed because none of the officers lost their lives and he did not achieve martyrdom.
Security measures were modified for this year’s New Year’s Eve festivities in Times Square in response to the attack.
The Manhattan district attorney has filed separate charges against him.
