Meat Cleaver Suspect Charged With Attempted Murder of New York Cop

Akram Joudeh, who attacked a US off duty detective with a meat cleaver last week, has been charged with attempted murder, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said in a press release.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — "Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. … announced the indictment of Akram Joudeh, 32, for attacking an off-duty NYPD [New York Police Department] detective with a meat cleaver," the release announced on Tuesday.

Joudeh was charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with attempted murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree, and menacing a police officer, along with other charges, the release stated.

"Akram Joudeh is accused of striking an NYPD Detective with a large meat cleaver in an attempt to evade arrest," Vance said in the release. "I thank the members of the NYPD who bravely pursued this defendant as he ran through Midtown with a deadly weapon."

On September 15, off-duty Detective Brian O’Donnell attempted to stop Joudeh when he was being pursued by other police officers and the defendant struck him in the head with the meat cleaver, causing a deep laceration which required surgery, the release recorded.

The other police officers then subdued Joudeh by shooting him several times, the release added. According to NBC4 news, the suspect was shot 18 times.