Where/Who is this freelance photographer who CONVENIENTLY distracted the NYC Police officers before the Axe Attack? - UPDATE

Zaim Farouq Abdul-Malik is the Muslim name of Zale Thompson, the NYPD hatchet attacker in Queens

ChicagoTribune: New York officer critically wounded in hatchet attack 

"A hatchet-wielding attacker charged a group of New York City police officers posing for a photograph on Thursday, wounded two, one critically, before the assailant was shot dead, police said.
The officers were on foot patrol when they were asked by a freelance photographer to pose for a picture on a Queens street at about 2 p.m., a New York Police Department spokesman said.lRelated New York City hatchet attack leaves officer in critical condition
Suddenly a man carrying a hatchet charged the officers, swinging it and striking one officer in the right arm and then swinging it again and striking a second officer in the head, the spokesman said."

Where/Who is this freelance photographer who CONVENIENTLY distracted these officers for this attack?

UPDATE ---

This incident involved FOUR 'rookie' cops and all four were distracted too easily.

According to the "Gothamist", A hatchet-wielding man was shot dead and four NYPD officers, plus a bystander, are injured after police responded to an assault in Jamaica Queens. 

Was there really an assault? 

Was this a coordinated set up? 

Is it unusual to have 4 rookies respond to the same call?