Man Sentenced to 27 Years for Stabbing Three Officers in Times Square on New Year’s Eve

Trevor Bickford was given a 27-year prison sentence on Thursday for a bold knife attack on New Year’s Eve in Times Square in 2022. The attack left three New York City Police Department officers seriously injured, according to the Department of Justice.

Bickford, who was 19 years old at the time of the attack, came from Maine in December 2022 with the intention of carrying out a jihadist attack on uniformed officers using a knife similar to a machete, according to prosecutors.

In January, he admitted to committing six federal crimes related to the attack. These charges include three counts of trying to murder government officials and three counts of assaulting government officials. Bickford, who is now 20 years old, was not only given a prison sentence but also a lifetime of supervised release.

“In a statement, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said that Trevor Bickford is being held responsible for planning and carrying out a terrorist attack in Times Square in 2022. During the attack, Bickford tried to kill three NYPD officers in a violent rampage,” “The Justice Department is very thankful to the NYPD for acting quickly and bravely to stop this New Year’s Eve attack, and for their ongoing efforts to keep the people of New York safe.” The Justice Department will always support and work closely with state and local law enforcement to fight against terrorism. This means we will be determined in prosecuting individuals who try to harm officers.

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Bickford was potentially facing a maximum of 120 years in prison, which would be 20 years for each charge. The government requested a prison sentence of at least 50 years. They argued that this sentence is necessary to show how serious the defendant’s terrorism offense was, to punish the defendant for their actions, to prevent them from supporting radical terrorist ideology in the future, and to discourage others from carrying out similar attacks in the United States.

Prosecutors stated that Bickford’s “violent actions” had a lasting effect on the three officers, who believe that a life sentence is an appropriate punishment.

The defense, on the other hand, requested a prison sentence of 10 years, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. In a legal document submitted before the sentencing, they mentioned that his young age during the attack was an important factor to consider and claimed that his crimes were influenced by an unhealthy obsession with Islam, which was caused by an untreated mental illness.

“Mr. Bickford’s attorneys wrote that he is very sorry to the officers, their families, and the witnesses that night.” “He understands the pain and suffering he has caused and is willing to do anything to undo his actions. Mr. Bickford understands that he cannot change what happened in the past. However, he believes he can improve his future and has put in a lot of effort to do so, even though he is facing difficult circumstances at the Metropolitan Detention Center.

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On December 31, 2022, three NYPD officers were working at a checkpoint near Times Square. During their shift, they were attacked and stabbed with an 18-inch kukri knife. The attack happened close to West 52nd Street and Eighth Avenue, outside the safe area that was designated for New Year’s Eve festivities.

Bickford was shot by one of the officers who had been injured and was arrested after the attack. According to prosecutors, law enforcement discovered Bickford’s backpack close to where the attack took place. There was a book in the backpack with a highlighted passage that said, “Fight in the Name of Allah and in the Cause of Allah.” Oppose those who do not have faith in Allah. Prosecutors say that the person was inciting a holy war.

According to the complaint from the Southern District of New York, Bickford told investigators that the attack was not successful because none of the officers died and because he did not achieve martyrdom. According to prosecutors, Bickford had been radicalized for several months and had planned to carry out an attack in Times Square. Initially, he had planned to go abroad to support the Taliban, but later changed his focus to an attack in the United States.

Bickford is also facing multiple state charges related to the New Year’s Eve attack. These charges include three counts of attempted murder in the first degree as part of an act of terrorism. He is supposed to go to court on May 22 for the state case.