Cops Posed For Picture Seconds Before Being Attacked By Hatchet Wielding Man

The four rookie cops were relaxed, laughing at a joke, when photographer Dominick Williams approached them on Jamaica Ave. in Queens on Thursday.

“Hey, I’m a photographer,” Williams, of Hollis, remembered telling them. “Can I take a photo? They said, ‘Sure.’ ”

Seconds after Williams’ lens captured a revealing image of camaraderie on the beat, a madman armed with a hatchet charged the cops. Williams said he ducked away as hatchet chops cut into the arm of Officer Joseph Meeker, 24, and fractured the skull of Officer Kenneth Healey, 25. The other two cops then fired 19 shots, killing the attacker and striking a female bystander in the back

Williams was stunned by the violence, but recovered his nerve enough to document the aftermath.

“It all happened so fast,” Williams said. “But I was eager to capture the photos. I knew what it was about. I knew what these photos would mean. I was gonna leave, but I went back.”


[link to www.nydailynews.com]

My first thought was it sounded like the person asking for the picture was a set-up diversion, but I think it was just bad timing.