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Two NYPD officers are being honored by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani after jumping into action to thwart an alleged ISIS-inspired terror attack outside Gracie Mansion over the weekend.
NYPD Chief Aaron Edwards and Sgt. Luis Navarro received high praise from Mamdani and New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch at a press conference on Monday, just days after both men put their lives on the line to stop a potentially catastrophic terrorism attack after two explosive devices were dropped at a protest on Saturday.
Edwards reportedly jumped over a barrier and tackled Emir Balat, 18, to the ground after he allegedly hurled an improvised explosive device at a group of protesters and was about to throw a second batch handed to him by Ibrahim Kayumi, 19.
As the chaos unfolded, Navarro ran toward a second improvised explosive device as it was lit and smoking after allegedly being dropped on the ground by Balat, “without hesitation and without regard for [his] own safety,” Tisch said.
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New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a news conference alongside NYPD Chief Aaron Edwards and Sgt. Luis Navarro at Gracie Mansion, Monday, March 9, 2026, in New York. (Angelina Katsanis/AP Photo)
Mamdani thanked both men for their bravery after also recognizing them in a private meeting.
“That is courage, that is selflessness, and I am deeply grateful to both of them and to every member of the NYPD who works every single day to keep New Yorkers safe,” Mamdani said.
Edwards was recently promoted to borough chief of Manhattan North in December of last year after serving nearly 23 years as an NYPD officer, according to the New York Post.
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Emir Balat flees after throwing a homemade explosive device toward police as NYPD Chief Aaron Edwards and Sgt. Luis Navarro take action during a protest in front of Gracie Mansion in New York on March 7, 2026. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
Edwards was inspired to become an officer after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City.
“I was a college student back in September 2001,” the new commanding officer of the NYPD’s Patrol Borough Manhattan North told the Post last year. “I saw what happened, and I took one of the first tests” for the academy.
“I saw it, I felt it. When everyone was running out [of the Twin Towers], we had our police officers and the other first-responders running in. I thought that was selfless heroism. It just drew me to the profession,” Edwards said. “Since I started, I fell in love with policing.”
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New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch speaks during a news conference with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Gracie Mansion, Monday, March 9, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)
On Monday, Tisch said the officer’s actions on Saturday followed the same theme of his inspiration to join the department.
“We saw that same spirit carried forward in the way that he responded,” Tisch said, according to the New York Daily News.
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Additionally, Navarro has reportedly been on the force for 11 years and joined the NYPD after a friend encouraged him to take the exam. Like Edwards, he was promoted to his current rank in December.
Both Balat and Kayumi are facing federal terrorism charges stemming from the alleged attack.
The NYPD did not immediately respond to Digital’s request for comment.
