The ‘All-American jihadi’ accused of stabbing three NYPD cops in Times Square on New Year’s Eve pleaded not guilty Wednesday to an 18-count indictment returned by a state grand jury.
According to the indictment, Trevor Bickford, 19, approached one of the officers from behind and struck him over the head with a large knife. The impact from the knife fractured the officer’s skull and required stitches.
Bickford allegedly then approached two other officers and struck each of them on the head with the knife in the same manner.
The indictment charged the 19-year-old with attempted murder as a crime of terrorism and other terror-related offenses.
Bickford appeared briefly in Manhattan Supreme Court to be arraigned and faces separate federal charges. He’s back in state court on May 3. It remains unclear what defense he’ll use in his not guilty plea.
The ‘All-American jihadi’ accused of stabbing three NYPD cops in Times Square on New Year’s Eve has pleaded not guilty to an 18-count indictment returned by a state grand jury
Bickford’s hands and feet were shackled as he walked into the courtroom and similar to previous court appearances responded to the judge in a low voice.
The 19-year-old wore a standardized prison uniform and remained neutral throughout the arraignment.
District Attorney Alvin Braggs said in a statement on Wednesday that Bickford ‘carried out planned attacks.’
‘Trevor Bickford allegedly carried out planned attacks on three members of the NYPD in Times Square on New Year’s Eve as they did their duty to protect our city,’ he said.
‘These brave officers were serving on the frontlines so New Yorkers and visitors celebrating the new year could stay safe.
‘The charges contained in the indictment demonstrate just how seriously we are treating this incident.
The court documents go on to say that Bickford intended to carry out ‘jihad’ and ‘specifically targeted a police officer’ because he was ‘a man in uniform with a weapon.’
Six of the indicted charges are specifically for ‘crimes of terrorism.’
The alleged jihadist was released from the hospital on Monday to make his first appearance in Manhattan federal court.
District Attorney Alvin Braggs claimed in a statement on Wednesday that Bickford ‘carried out planned attacks’
Bickford’s hands and feet were shackled as he walked into the courtroom and similar to previous court appearances responded to the judge in a low voice
During that court appearance, Bickford entered wearing grey sweatpants and a grey sweatshirt over a white T-shirt. He also answered the judge’s questions in a quiet, low voice at the time.
He is charged with attempting to kill officers working with the federal government to secure Times Square where the world-renown ball drop takes place at midnight.
A federal magistrate appointed counsel and held the defendant without bail pending an application for bail at a later date.
In early January, Manhattan Criminal Court heard that Bickford wanted ‘to kill and carry out jihad.’
The court also heard him say that Muslim US officials were fair to target because ‘they can’t be proper Muslims, because the government supports Israel’.
If convicted, Bickford faces a mandatory life sentence on charges of attempted murder of a police officer.
The radicalized teen, from Wells, Maine, took the Amtrak down to the city with plans to target isolated officers, prosecutors told Manhattan Criminal Court.
Bickford allegedly stabbed three officers – rookies Paul Cozzolino, Michael Hanna and Louis Iorio with an 18-inch blade during the vicious rampage on New Year’s Eve.
The radicalized teen, from Wells, Maine, took the Amtrak down to the city with plans to target isolated officers
Bickford allegedly stabbed three officers – rookies Paul Cozzolino, Michael Hanna and Louis Iorio with an 18-inch blade during the vicious rampage on New Year’s Eve
In court documents prosecutors highlight part of the interview Bickford allegedly told investigators after the New York’s Eve attack when he went on an extremist Islamist rage.
‘I wanted to kill an officer in uniform. I saw the officer and waited until he was alone. I said, ‘Allahu Akbar,’ Bickford said.
‘I walked up and hit him over the head with a kukri. I charged another officer but dropped the knife and I tried to get the police officer’s gun but couldn’t.’
Assistant District Attorney Lucy Nicholas told the judge, the ‘defendant admitted that he purposely waited until he saw a moment when the officer was isolated and not near any civilians when he could attack him.’
He said after he dropped his knife after attacking the first officer, he wanted to grab the other officer’s firearm to kill them but was unable to get the gun out of the holster,’ Nicholas said.
‘He specifically targeted a uniformed police officer because an officer is a man in a uniform with a weapon.’
The Legal Aid Society that is representing Bickford issued a statement, WGME reported.
‘Trevor Bickford, who is just a teenager, has no prior contact with the criminal legal system.
‘Bickford was arraigned from Bellevue Hospital after languishing in NYPD custody for nearly four days despite a well-established court requirement that an arraignment take place within 24-hours of arrest,’ they wrote.
Bickford (on far right) is pictured with brothers Devin and Travis in several social media posts
Bickford’s mother has also posted a number of photos on her Facebook page where she gushes about the 19-year-old, calling him an ‘old soul’ and said she’s lucky to be his mother
‘We’ve just received initial discovery from the District Attorney’s office, and we’ll have more to say about this case after a thorough review and investigation.
‘For now, we ask the public to refrain from drawing hasty conclusions and to respect the privacy of our client’s family.’
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During the attack, Bickford was carrying a handwritten diary professing his desire to join the Taliban in Afghanistan, also writing that he wished to die as a martyr, CNN reported, citing law enforcement sources.
After Bickford allegedly slashed two officers shortly before midnight on NYE another NYPD officer shot him in the shoulder and he was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, along with the two cops. They all survived.
The FBI raided the teen’s family home in Wells, Maine, where Bickford was by all appearances an upstanding high school student before allegedly radicalizing himself to Islamic extremism.
In addition to the diary, Bickford reportedly carried a chilling letter in which he urged his family to ‘repent to Allah’ so they ‘may be taken out of the hellfire.’
Bickford had been an honor roll student, won awards for his artwork, and was a member of the championship football team in his hometown
‘To my family — specifically, mother — I’m sorry for not having been a good enough son,’ the note read, according to a police source who spoke with the New York Post.
The note, which has not been released publicly, continued with Bickford allegedly writing his hopes that his family will one day see the world the way he does.
Bickford had been an honor roll student, won awards for his artwork, and was a member of the championship football team in his hometown.
Bickford’s dad, Thomas Bickford, died unexpectedly in 2018 at age 41
But after his father died of an apparent drug overdose in 2018, it appears Bickford’s life descended into turmoil.
‘I fear greatly that you will not repent to Allah,’ he wrote in the note to the family reported by the Post. ‘And therefore I hold hope in my heart that a piece of you believes so that you may be taken out to the hellfire.’
Bickford went on to call his brother Devon a traitor for serving in the U.S. Army.
‘To Devon, there was a time when we were close, but that time has passed,’ the manifesto said, according to the Post.
‘You have joined the ranks of my enemy. And for that I can give you no kind words – return to Allah,’ wrote the 19-year-old, who does not have a criminal record according to a preliminary investigation.
‘To [my brother] Travis. Of anyone I’ve known who I have felt is closest to faith — it’s you,’ Bickford allegedly wrote.
‘Of anyone I’ve ever wanted to accept Islam with me — it’s you. Please repent to Allah and accept Islam. I fear for you.’
The attack took place on Eighth Avenue between 51st and 52nd Street, right outside Times Square where thousands of revelers were ringing in the new year.
Bickford’s house is located on Alpine Street in Wells, Maine – nearly five hours north of NYC
It was after his father’s death – of an apparent drug overdose in 2018 – that Bickford, a once smiling and seemingly happy child, had his life descended into turmoil
Bickford does not have a criminal record according to a preliminary investigation, but police sources say the FBI’s field office in Boston has an open case on him.
Authorities said they were looking into whether the suspect had previously posted what they called jihadist writings online and then traveled to New York City to target police.
Photos posted to Facebook show Bickford at different times of his life, many with his two brothers Devin and Travis.
There are photos of him playing football with the championship Wells High School Warriors football team, singing in the choir, and marching with the color guard.
As recently as 2020, he was among a group of students to win awards for their artwork. Bickford won for his work in jewelry, Seacoastonline reported at the time.
Prior to his death in 2018 – his father Thomas Bickford – proudly posted photos of his sons and their achievements.
Family and friends were quick to praise the boys and their bright futures. Bickford’s father died at the age of 41, according to his obituary.
His parents Thomas and Audra D’Antilio married on September 9, 2001, and raised three sons, Devin, Trevor, and Travis, in Wells, Maine.
The patriarch of the family could often be found coaching them at football and wrestling, according to the obituary.
It also said he was sometimes hard on his sons in terms of his style of coaching, but ‘he loved his boys more than anything.’
The attack and sound of a gunshot briefly sent some people running, but the festivities in Times Square continued uninterrupted
Mayor Eric Adams said the day after the attack that he spoke to one of the wounded officers adding that ‘he understood that his role saved lives of New Yorkers’
Bickford’s mother Audra D’Antilio, who eventually remarried, also has a slew of photos on her Facebook page where she gushes about her son, calling him an ‘old soul’ and writes that she feels lucky to be his mother.
On July 28, she shared a photo of Bickford for his 19th birthday and wrote: ‘Happy 19th Birthday Trevor. 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. I love that you have no fear of trying new things, and you truly are the best brother ever. I am so beyond proud of the man you are becoming, I love you.’
Just six months later, Bickford was accused of the attacks.
Michael Driscoll, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office, said the FBI’s Joint Terrorist Task Force in New York City was investigating but believe Bickford acted alone.
The attack and sound of a gunshot briefly sent some people running, but the festivities in Times Square continued uninterrupted.
Mayor Eric Adams said the day after the attack that he spoke to one of the wounded officers.
‘He was in good spirits,’ Adams said. ‘He understood that his role saved lives of New Yorkers.’
