Man Pleads Not Guilty in Meat Cleaver Attack on Off-Duty Detective

What to Know

  • The suspect had been fleeing cops near Penn Station after they caught him trying to remove a boot from his car.
  • The off-duty detective say police chasing the weapon-wielding man and tackled the suspect, who slashed him
  • Police fired 18 shots, hitting the suspect several times

The 32-year-old man who hacked at an off-duty detective with a meat cleaver near Penn Station last month has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder charges. 

Akram Joudeh entered the plea during an arraignment Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court. Joudeh, who was arrested following the attack on Sept. 15 was also charged with  first-degree assault, menacing a police officer and other charges in the indictment unsealed Tuesday, according to Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.

Joudeh is accused of attacking off-duty Detective Brian O'Donnell after a pair of other officers spotted the man attempting to pull a boot off of his car, which was parked at Broadway and West 30th Street on Sept. 15. 

Authorities said that after officers confronted Joudeh, he pulled out a meat cleaver and ran off. The two cops gave chase, and O'Donnell tried to stop the suspect at West 32nd Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues. That's when the man allegedly hacked at the officer.

Three officers fired a total of 18 gunshots at Joudeh during the chaos, and he was struck several times.

O'Donnell was injured in the attack and had to undergo surgery. He was released a day later.

Joudeh has 15 prior arrests, including one on July 27 after he was found carrying knives near a synagogue in the Manhattan Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn. His last known address was in Queens, though police say he may have been living in his car.  

The other arrests stretching back to 2009 include charges for driving while impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a weapon, menacing with a weapon and criminal trespassing, sources said. 

The 32-year-old suspect's Legal Aid attorney told the judge his client was not a legal U.S. citizen. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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