Wednesday, October 29, 2014

How Muslim's terror attack on New York cops unfolded in just seconds: Smiling officers were snapped just before hatchet-wielding radical attacked and left one of them in critical condition

This is the chilling picture of four rookie New York cops in Queens, taken seconds before they were ambushed by a hatchet-wielding madman who hacked one of the officers in the back of the head and another in the arm. 
Officer Kenneth Healey, 25, and his three comrades are all smiles in a portrait taken by Dominick Williams last Thursday afternoon.
Mr Williams spotted the officers and asked them to stand for a picture.  
Seconds later, Zale Thompson ran up to the cops - who where standing against a wall in Jamaica, Queens - and started swinging a sharp hand ax. 
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES 
Comrades: Four Queens NYPD cops are all smiles in this picture taken seconds before they were ambushed by hatched-wielding Zale Thompson. Officer Kenneth Healey, second the the right, was hacked in the head
Comrades: Four Queens NYPD cops are all smiles in this picture taken seconds before they were ambushed by hatched-wielding Zale Thompson. Officer Kenneth Healey, second the the right, was hacked in the head
Thompson can be seen dead on the street, face up in a green coat, moments later. Officer Kenneth Healey is down with a hatchet gash in his head
Thompson can be seen dead on the street, face up in a green coat, moments later. Officer Kenneth Healey is down with a hatchet gash in his head
An officer attends to Healey, pressing a cloth against his wound, as the other officers train their weapons at Thompson. Healey remains in critical condition at a New York hospital
An officer attends to Healey, pressing a cloth against his wound, as the other officers train their weapons at Thompson. Healey remains in critical condition at a New York hospital
Mr Williams says he scrambled for safety as the officers wrestled with Thompson. He hacked Officer Joseph Meeker, 24, in the arm before smashing Healey in the skull.
The other officers opened fire, killing Thompson but also accidentally shooting and gravely wounding a bystander who was caught in the crossfire. 
Mr Williams' camera captured the frantic aftermath of the attack. 
Officer Healey - who had just four months on the job - can be seen laying face down on the sidewalk - a bloody gash in his head.  
Another officer can be seen tending to his fallen comrade, holding a cloth over the gushing wound in his head.
Thompson still holds his hatchet in his hand after being shot dead by two NYPD officers after he slashed two cops in an ambush attack
Thompson still holds his hatchet in his hand after being shot dead by two NYPD officers after he slashed two cops in an ambush attack
Authorities say he was a self-radicalized Muslim extremist who hated cops. Authorities found more weapons at his home nearby
Authorities say he was a self-radicalized Muslim extremist who hated cops. Authorities found more weapons at his home nearby
These pictures capture the moments after the attack - before backup swarmed the scene and Officer Healey was taken to a hospital
These pictures capture the moments after the attack - before backup swarmed the scene and Officer Healey was taken to a hospital
Officer Healey was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but is expected to survive the injury.
The pictures also capture Thompson dead on the sidewalk.
His body is face up with the hatchet, still in his had, laid across his chest.
Mr Williams estimated that the officers fired seven shots. 
NYPD top brass has called the attack 'an act of terrorism.' Thompson was a self-radicalized Muslim extremist who had an interest in ISIS beheadings. 
His family described him as a 'recluse' with mental health problems.  
Rendering aid: Two officers were injured in the attack. Officer Joseph Meeker was slashed in the arm, but is expected to recover
Rendering aid: Two officers were injured in the attack. Officer Joseph Meeker was slashed in the arm, but is expected to recover

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