NYPD Cop Attacked With Hatchet, Suspect Shot Dead
Source: NBC
A rookie police officer was struck in the head by a man wielding a hatchet in the New York City borough of Queens Thursday, in an assault that has police checking for any ties to terror organizations or whether the attack could have been inspired by Wednesday’s lone-wolf attack in Canada.
Police opened fire, killing the suspect and wounding a woman who was nearby, according to officials. The officer survived the attack. A second police officer was struck with the hatchet in the arm and is also being treated. The name of the suspect was not immediately released.
The 2 p.m. apparently unprovoked attack occurred as four police officers were posing for pictures with a bystander when the suspect charged the group, swinging a hatchet with a four-and-a-half-inch blade, officials said. He struck one officer in the arm and another in the head before two officers drew their weapons and opened fire as he swung the hatchet a third time, officials said.
The officer struck in the head suffered a fractured skull and was in surgery Thursday evening. As police investigated the scene they discovered a woman a half-block away had been shot in the lower back. She was operated on and is in stable condition.
Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/nypd-cop-attacked-hatchet-suspect-shot-dead-n232586
= new reply since forum marked as read
An NYPD rookie is in critical condition and another police officer is in stable condition after being attacked by a man wielding a hatchet on a Queens street Thursday, police said.
Two other officers fired on the man, stopping the attack. The assailant was pronounced dead at the scene. A 29-year-old female bystander was also struck by a bullet and underwent surgery at Jamaica Hospital, where she's recovering, officials said.
The officers, all recent graduates of the Police Academy assigned to the 103rd Precinct in Jamaica, were asked to pose for a picture by a freelance photographer at the intersection of 162nd Street and Jamaica Avenue shortly before 2 p.m. when the man attacked them from behind, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said.
The suspect "charged at the officers with a hatchet in his hand," Bratton said. "Unprovoked and not speaking a word, the male then swung at one of the officers with a hatchet, striking his right arm. After striking that officer, the suspect continuing swinging the hatchet, striking a second officer in the head."
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Police-Officer-Attack-Queens-280211092.html
Hatchet-wielding man shot dead by NYPD cops in Queens; police eye possible terrorism motive
Police are investigating the possibility that the attacker killed on a rainswept shopping corridor, identified by police sources as Zale Thompson, 32, had links to terrorism.
On a Facebook page bearing Thompson's name, an African Islamist warrior armed with spear, sword and rifle gazes out at the beholder. The vintage black and white photo is the profile picture of the user, who lives in Queens.
A Quran quote in classic Arabic calligraphy mentioning judgment against those who have wandered astray serves as the page's banner.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/24/us/new-york-hatchet-islamist-suspicions/index.html
... for so long, I think we just skipped back to the dark ages. 
And, unfortunately, it seems that this fellow was not only motivated by jihadist ideology, but even some anti-Caucasian racism peppered in as well:
http://nypost.com/2014/10/25/pro-jihadi-ax-attacker-wanted-white-people-to-pay-for-slavery/
I honestly can't help but feel terrible for his family; they must be wondering why and where it all went wrong, just as in the Zehaf-Bibeau case; as with the Ottawa shooter, it seems Mr. Thompson was obviously a troubled fellow long before last week's incident. Condolences to the families of the officers attacked, and LaToya James, an innocent passerby who was also injured. 