Brooklyn NYPD knife attack suspect had interest of Islamic extremism, allege prosecutors

Dzenan Camovic, the 21-year-old who stabbed a New York City police officer in the neck, stole his gun to shoot other officers had an interest in violent Islamic extremism, prosecutors alleged in court papers filed on Thursday, August 27. After a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment,  the prosecutors said that Camovic punctuated the attack in Brooklyn with screams of “Allahu Akbar” and later the suspect told the hospital worker, “My religion made me do it”. 

The 21-year-old Bosnian immigrant living illegally in the United States now reportedly faces charges including attempted aggravated murder and federal charges including theft and unlawful possession of a firearm. As per Camovic’s lawyer, the arraignments could be scheduled within a few weeks. The attack in June had happened during the Black Lives Matter protests that were triggered by the death of 46-year-old African American George Floyd. 

Therefore, it lead to speculation among police and union officials that Camovic was inspired by the anti-police rhetoric. Officer Yayonfrant Jean Pierre and other wounded officers have survived all their injuries. 

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Camovic’s lawyer refutes the government’s narrative

Robert Stahl, Camavic’s lawyer has refuted entire narrative put forth by the government that his client indicated support to Islamic extremism or other terrorist groups. Agency sources cited Stahl saying in an interview that the 21-year-old “is a troubled young man in a number of respects, as opposed to having any terrorist or Islamic leanings”. 

Meanwhile, both Federal prosecutors and the Brooklyn district attorney’s office had announced the charges just minutes apart on August 27 and the police department was releasing the clip recorded by surveillance and body camera captured on June 3, slightly before midnight. 

The troubling clip shows Camovic walking up to Jean Pierre and stabbing him in the neck as another law enforcement officer stood on the corner of the street. The bloodshed reportedly took place on June 3 after the 8 PM curfew that was intended to limit the nationwide protests that also witnessed violence, looting and damage of public property.

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(Inputs/image: AP)