A man armed with a machete attacked three police officers on Saturday at the New Year’s Eve celebration in the city of NYauthorities said. The suspect struck two of the officers in the head before another shot him in the shoulder.
The incident occurred shortly after 10 p.m. about eight blocks from Times Squarejust outside the high security zone where attendees are controlled not to carry weapons.
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One of the hospitalized policemen suffered a skull fracture while the other presented a deep cutbut both are expected to recover.
Police did not immediately identify the 19-year-old suspect, who is also expected to recover.
The attack and the noise of the shot made some people run awaybut the incident did not affect the celebrations in Times Squarewhich were not interrupted.
Authorities have opened an investigation to determine the motive for the attack.but they pointed out that they did not believe there was an active threat to the population.
Every year, the city’s police department mounts a major security operation for the New Year’s Eve party, deploying thousands of officers to the area, including many new recruits. One of the wounded had graduated from the academy the day before, the mayor said, Eric Adams.
The blocks where the biggest crowds gather to watch the musical performances and the ball drop at midnight can only be accessed through security checkpoints where authorities use metal detectors to search for weapons. Backpacks and large coolers are prohibited and barriers are installed to prevent car attacks.