Somewhere, ABC News’ Brian Ross is busily trying to connect the Tea Party to a hatchet attack on four New York City police officers Thursday afternoon, but in a miraculous change of pace, CNN is already reporting that the attacker might have been motivated by radical Islam.
First on #CNN: NYPD suspects possible tie to Islamic extremism in hatchet attack injuring 2 officers – NYPD source pic.twitter.com/oFjyitZw1o
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) October 23, 2014
Based on #NYPD suspect's facebook posts, suspicion raised about ties to radical Islam. @jimsciutto reports
— Christina Manduley (@cmanduley) October 23, 2014
Hatchet used to attack NYPD officers, injuring 2, incl 1 severely. Police tell #CNN lkg into ties to radicalism pic.twitter.com/6IrHiGmRC9
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) October 24, 2014
Just in: Alarming video of man charging NYPD officers w/hatchet. 2 injured, attacker was killed by police https://t.co/N6rYH5mJMb
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) October 24, 2014
A man charged at four New York police officers Thursday afternoon, metal hatchet in hand, hitting one officer in the right arm and another in the head, the city’s police commissioner said.
The two officers who weren’t struck shot and killed the suspect, who has not been identified by name and is believed to be about 32 years old, according to police Commissioner Bill Bratton.
The police officer who was struck in the head remains in critical but stable condition.
Authorities are looking to see if the unprovoked attack, in the New York borough of Queens, is tied to recent calls by radicals to attack military and police officers, law enforcement officials say.
A tweet from Anderson Cooper’s TV show also suggests that the attacker’s social media accounts point to radical Islam.
#NYC police concerned #hatchet attack motivated by radical Islam after viewing attacker's social media – @jimsciutto pic.twitter.com/52BSZ29qRQ
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) October 24, 2014
Time for Vox to edit all their "Don't panic about Ebola" stories to "Don't panic about Islamists" stories.
— jon gabriel (@exjon) October 24, 2014
hey maybe it's time to give this buried, underplayed, embargoed terror warning some media notice, huh? http://t.co/Yqrd8JCaif
— Ursus, Director of Weather and Banana Programming (@AceofSpadesHQ) October 24, 2014
That terror warning warned of attacks on police, soldiers, judges, intelligence personnel, and media figures, two weeks ago.
— Ursus, Director of Weather and Banana Programming (@AceofSpadesHQ) October 24, 2014
@AC360 @DAVIDMDRAIMAN @jimsciutto MSM really needs to have an honest conversation about the doctrine of jihad.
— D.J. Llewellyn (@DJ_Llewellyn) October 24, 2014
https://twitter.com/American_Bubba/status/525443555490533376
@AC360 @MelissaTweets @jimsciutto He's a Republican Plant! it's a plot against Cuomo. Republicans are to blame AGW and the cold weather.
— sotosy1 (@sotosy1) October 24, 2014
Will other cable news pundits cover the story and, if so, will they warn viewers not to jump to conclusions about the religion of peace?
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Update: Fox News’ Rick Leventhal has a bit of information about the attacker’s Facebook posts:
suspect with hatchet chopped one NYPD officer in arm, other in head; FB posts include "attack their weak flanks… if you die who cares"
— RickLeventhalFoxNews (@RickLeventhal) October 24, 2014
@RickLeventhal Well, how can THIS attack be twisted to be "work place" violence?!?
— jo miller (@njokmiller) October 24, 2014
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