Melanie Eversley

USA TODAY

NEW YORK - A New York City police officer is recuperating in a Queens hospital after a man went at his head with a hatchet, police said Thursday night.

Also hurt in the incident was a second officer who was hit in the arm and a bystander shot in the lower back when two more officers opened fire on the alleged attacker, police said.

Police shot the suspect dead, and CNN identified him as Zale Thompson, 32.

The officer hit in the head was identified as Kenneth Healy, 25, and was listed in critical but stable condition at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, NYPD said.

The officer hit in the arm was identified as Joseph Meeker, 24, and was listed in stable condition, according to NYPD.

The bystander, a 29-year-old woman, was recovering from surgery, NYPD said.

The hospital declined to give out any information about the two officers or the bystander, deferring to the Police Department.

According to Police Commissioner Bill Bratton, the two injured officers and two other officers were all July graduates of the Police Academy and are part of the "Partner Officer Program."

The incident happened after a freelance photographer approached the four officers and asked if they would pose for a picture. As the group chatted, the suspect charged at the group for no apparent reason, Bratton said.

The suspect first struck Meeker in the right arm, then went after Healy, striking him in the head, Bratton said.

"As he continued his assault, the remaining two officers then fired on the armed suspect who fell to the ground dropping the hatchet," Bratton said. "The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene."