2014 Queens hatchet attack

Attack on New York City police officers June 2025 February 2025 2014 Queens hatchet attack Jamaica, Queens, New York City, US 2014 10 23 2:00 p.m. EDT Lone-wolf terrorism Hatchet 1 (the perpetrator) 3 (2 officers directly, 1 civilian by stray gunfire) Zale H. Thompson Islamic extremism On October 23, 2014, a hatchet-wielding man, Zale H. Thompson, attacked four New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers on a crowded sidewalk in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens in New York City. Officer Kenneth Healey was struck in the head, while Officer Joseph Meeker was injured in the arm. Also injured was a female civilian, who was struck by a stray bullet when two other officers shot and killed the perpetrator. Investigators discovered that Thompson was a recent Muslim convert.CNN NYPD: Hatchet attack an act of terror Prokupecz Shimon Conlon Kevin http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/24/us/new-york-police-attacked/ October 24, 2014 His attack was classified as an act of terrorism.Kearney Laila NYC police say hatchet attack by Islam convert was terrorism Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-newyork-hatchet-idUSKCN0IC2RG20141024 October 24, 2014 Attack On October 23, 2014, Thompson approached a group of four New York City police officers from behind in the rain on Jamaica Avenue. He had previously been hiding behind a bus shelter. They were posing for a photograph taken by a freelance photographer on Jamaica Avenue, near Union Hall Street.Nolan Caitlin Burke Kerry Parascandola Rocco Stepansky Joseph Tracy Thomas Hatchet-wielding man shot dead by NYPD cops in Queens; police eye possible terrorism motive http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/police-shoots-kills-man-ax-queens-article-1.1984914 New York Daily News October 24, 2014Prokupecz Shimon Botelho Greg CNN Man attacks New York police officers with a hatchet http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/23/us/new-york-police-attacked/ October 24, 2014 Thompson took out an 18 in on metal hatchet from a backpack, charged the group and brought it down into the back of one of the officer's heads.Landy Benjamin Hatchet-wielding man attacks NYPD officers http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/nypd-officers-attacked-man-hatchet MSNBC October 23, 2014 In the ensuing altercation, a second officer was wounded and Thompson was shot dead by the two uninjured officers. Both of the wounded police officers had been on the job for only four months. Tanner Jeremy Cole Kirstin NYPD concerned hatchet attack may be linked to terrorism http://pix11.com/2014/10/23/ax-wielding-man-shot-after-attacking-injuring-officer-in-queens/ PIX11 (WPIX)/CNN October 23, 2014 While attempting to shoot Thompson, the officers also wounded a female civilian who was struck in the lower back by a stray bullet.Hays Tom NYC Police Commissioner: Hatchet Attack Was Terror ABC News AP https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/officer-critical-stable-hatchet-attack-26420425 October 24, 2014 Victims 25-year-old police officer Kenneth Healey was critically wounded after Thompson's hatchet struck the side of his head and fractured his skull. Officer Joseph Meeker, 24, also suffered a slash wound to the right arm. In addition, a 29-year-old civilian woman suffered a gunshot wound in her lower back, which was inflicted by a stray bullet fired by police officers as they were shooting at Thompson. The woman was initially in critical condition, but was stabilized after doctors performed surgery on her. Officer Meeker was treated at a hospital, but was released on the same day. Officer Healey remained in a Queens hospital, listed in critical but stable condition until October 29, when he left the hospital by ambulance to a rehabilitation facility. He walked the last few steps into the ambulance while being cheered by 200 fellow officers and fans.Sandoval Edgar Hutchinson Bill New York Daily News NYPD hatchet victim leaves Queens hospital to cheers of fellow officers http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/nypd-hatchet-victim-leaves-queens-hospital-article-1.1991958 October 29, 2014 Perpetrator Zale H. Thompson ( 1982 – October 23, 2014), also known as Zaim Farouq Abdul-Malik, was identified as the assailant. He was a graduate of the Rosa Parks Campus in Harlem, an adult-education program of the College of New Rochelle,Celona Larry Fenton Reuven Conley Kirstan Italiano Laura Islam convert shot dead after ax attack on NYPD cops https://nypost.com/2014/10/23/man-shot-dead-after-striking-cop-in-the-head-with-ax/ The New York Post October 24, 2014 and attended Teachers College, Columbia University from 2009 to 2010, but left before he could earn a degree. He also served in the U.S. Navy, being involuntarily discharged in 2003. Between 2002 and 2003, he had been arrested six different times in southern California for domestic disputes. When he was sixteen, he was the victim of an assault, although further details about the incident were unclear.AP The Guardian (UK) New York hatchet attack was terrorist act by homegrown radical, police say https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/oct/24/new-york-hatchet-attack-terrorist-act October 24, 2014 Thompson was described by acquaintances as an advocate of black power and was a recent convert to Islam. He had moved from Brooklyn to Queens before the attack. In the nine months preceding the attack, Thompson visited hundreds of websites regarding designated terrorist organizations, including al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab, and ISIL, as well as regarding "acts of violence."Dienst Jonathan 2014-10-24 Bratton: Hatchet Attack on Cops Was a Lone Wolf “Act of Terror” https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/motive-hatchet-attack-nypd-zale-thompson-ax-queens-motive/864810/ 2025-11-23 WNBC en-US He also made several online posts railing against government, whites, injustices in American society, oppression abroad, and the Western world in general. On Facebook, he had an online conversation with another man regarding the topic of terrorism, although both of them derided the subject. Officials stated that Thompson was not tied to any international extremists or watch lists. Aftermath NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton described the attack as an "act of terror" on October 24. Police officers seized several computers from the home of Thompson's father and searched them. The attack took place one day after the Ottawa Parliament shootings and three days after the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu ramming attack, both of which were carried out by recent converts to Islam, and were described as lone wolf terror attacks. Media attention on the Queens attack questioned whether it was motivated by the jihadist group ISIS encouraging sympathizers to carry out terror attacks in their home countries.New York police brand hatchet attack 'terrorist' act https://news.yahoo.com/man-islamic-extremist-leanings-attacks-ny-police-083342808.html Yahoo - ABC News Network AFP October 24, 2014Leventhal Rick Fishel Justin The Associated Press Terror connection not ruled out in hatchet attack, police say https://www.foxnews.com/us/terror-connection-not-ruled-out-in-hatchet-attack-police-say/ Fox News October 24, 2014Roberts Gareth Mirror (UK) Caught on camera: The terrifying moment mad man attacks police with HATCHET before being shot dead https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/caught-camera-terrifying-moment-mad-4496599 October 24, 2014 An FBI intelligence assessment released in 2017, however, proposed that the attack was motivated by black separatist extremism.Federal Bureau of Investigation August 3, 2017 Black Identity Extremists Likely Motivated to Target Law Enforcement Officers Politico https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000015f-11c2-d01e-a35f-f7c641380000 March 14, 2024 According to the FBI report, Thompson had tattoos indicating association with a known black separatist extremist group, and he previously expressed support for "mass revolt" against the "white-dominated" political system in his own writings. They further speculate that Thompson may have been motivated by the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO two months prior to the attack. See also New York City 2014 shootings at Parliament Hill, Ottawa 2014 Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu ramming attack 2016 shooting of Philadelphia police officer 2016 shooting of Dallas police officers Sidewalk clock on Jamaica Avenue References 30em 40.703740 N 73.799138 W title Category:2014 crimes in New York (state) Category:Anti-police violence in the United States Category:Attacks in the United States in 2014 Category:Crimes in Queens, New York Category:Islamic terrorism in New York (state) Category:Jamaica, Queens Category:New York City Police Department Category:October 2014 crimes in the United States Category:Stabbing attacks in 2014 Category:Mass stabbings in the United States Category:Terrorist incidents in New York City Category:Terrorist incidents in the United States in 2014 Category:Axe attacks Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2014