Slain terror suspect in Boston reportedly planned to behead police officer

Police Car
(Image credit: iStock)

Ussama Rahim, the 26-year-old Boston resident who was shot dead after he charged a police officer with a military-style knife, had planned to behead a police officer, officials said Wednesday. Rahim was under 24-hour surveillance by terrorism investigators when he pulled out the knife and approached the officers, who ultimately shot him after he charged them and refused to stand down.

A law enforcement officer told The New York Times that Rahim had become radicalized thanks to Islamic militant social media sites, and that he posed an "imminent threat" on the day of his death.

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Samantha Rollins

Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.