Directive to NYPD officers after ax attacks in DC and Queens

NEW YORK (WABC) -- NYPD Chief of Patrol James O'Neill distributed a directive to all officers Friday after an ax attack in Washington, DC.

The directive on Friday was to reinforce the directive last week reminding that beat officers on patrol should be walking in pairs, remain constantly alert and reinforce station house security. Officers were also told not to take breaks for meals alone.

NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton said the ax attack in Washington DC was "very similar to the one we experienced a week ago, apparently unprovoked and unanticipated."

NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller said the two departments are working together to determine if there are any similarities."It is very hard to gauge what the motivation was or what the purpose was," he said.

Washington Metropolitan Police said both incidents were "completely unprovoked" but there was otherwise no apparent link between the two.

As for the Queens attack, the NYPD investigation continues.

One officer was seriously injured in that attack. Zale Thompson, a reclusive Muslim convert, was shot dead by other officers.

Investigators are also looking into whether Zale Thompson was inspired by radical Islam. His Facebook page makes references to Islamist ideas, but seems more focused on challenging what he saw as the white government power structure and to possibly rise up against it.

Detectives recovered several electronic devices from the suspect's home as a "matter of due diligence."

But as of now, there is nothing to indicate formal terrorist ties.

"We do see a large amount of queries and searches into things that are clearly influenced by the message of groups like al Qaeda and ISIS to attack domestically," Miller said.

In Washington, DC, a man swung a large ax at a District of Columbia police officer in an unprovoked attack early Friday, and the officer suffered a minor injury while struggling with the man, who escaped on foot, police said.

The officer was sitting in a marked police car when the man used the ax to shatter the driver's side window, said Police Chief Cathy Lanier, who described the attack as an ambush.

"A lot of these radical organizations, terrorist organizations are very vocal about targeting first responders. It's no secret. It's not new. But it certainly has ramped up," Lanier said. "We're on extremely high alert."

The officer spotted the man briefly before the attack and believed he was carrying a baseball bat, Lanier said. The officer drove into an alley in an attempt to follow him but did not see the man again until the ax hit the car, Lanier said.

The officer chased the man and tackled him and was injured in the struggle, police said.

Police don't have a good description of the man, and Lanier said investigators were pursuing 30 to 40 leads, including some generated by tips from the public. The FBI offered help with the investigation if needed.

(Some information from the Associated Press)