'Weird world': Shocked neighbors call Times Square 'terrorist' Trevor Bickford 'quiet' and 'normal' teenager
WELLS, MAINE: Neighbors of alleged Islamic extremist Trevor Bickford, 19, who attacked NYPD cops with a machete on New Year's Eve said they were shocked at the 'terrorist' allegations against the Wells, Maine native. After sustaining wounds on his shoulder after he was shot by one of the NYPD officers in the machete attack in New York City, Bickford was reportedly treated and released from Bellevue Hospital on Monday, January 2, 2023.
On Monday, Ken Creed, the neighbor of the alleged Times Square terrorist told the New York Post that “there was no indication here that that sort of thing was going on,” while another neighbor told the news outlet that in the years following his father Thomas Kimo Bickford's death, the suspected terrorist began wearing "religious garb."
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"Weird world," Creed said as he explained to the New York Post that “without sounding racist, we don’t have a lot of that. And I’m not aware of any influences like that in Wells.” Soon after the horrifying slashings took place in New York City, the FBI arrived at his two-storeyed home on Alpine Drive. After his aunt notified authorities about his terrorist connections, she was told by them that Bickford has already been placed as an "alleged Islamic extremist" on a watchlist by the FBI.
According to the news outlet, the locals said that Bickford has worked for a groundskeeping company named Resurrection Golf which works the greens, near the Old Marsh Country Club, situated five minutes from the suspect's family home.
Bickford was described as "normal" and "quiet" by a local high schooler, while a local named Rick, who did not wish to reveal his last name, stated, “A typical news day but closer to home”. Rick, who knows Bickford's family, said that he has lived in Wells for 25 years. Referring to the family, he said “They’ve always been really quiet. We don’t really interact with them at all and they’ve always been very, very quiet.”
For his jewelry creations, Bickford, a former honor student, received a school art award and he was also once a member of the championship football team of Wells High School.
A woman in the Wells, who works at the Maine Diner and Gift Shop, said Bickford and his mom who used to work there were like "family in town", while another employee at the diner said there was never a discussion between Bickford and his mom on the teen's reported conversion to Islam.
As per a preliminary investigation, the 19-year-old, who has no criminal history, attacked three NYPD officers, namely, Iorio, an eight-year veteran who suffered a hard blow to the head, Cozzolino, a rookie and a recent graduate from Police Academy who suffered a fractured skull, and a rookie Michael Hanna who shot Bickford on his shoulder but was also attacked by the alleged terrorist.
Iorio and Cozzolino were treated and released from Bellevue Hospital, while Hanna was treated and released from Mount Sinai West. As per the New York Post report, NYPD has charged Bickford with attempted murder and assault over the violent attack.