After two teen adult bombers attempted to attack a crowd of demonstrators on March 7 outside Gracie Mansion, the official home of the New York City Mayor, the New York Police Department reacted quickly — and incredibly bravely — and had both suspects in hand within seconds.
However, the story could have been so much worse had the improvised explosive devices gone off as designed. They had been packed with nuts and bolts by the two suspects, 18-year-old Emir Balat, a U.S. citizen of Turkish descent, and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi, an American of Afghan descent.
We’ve already reported on the hero NYPD Assistant Chief for Manhattan North, Aaron Edwards, who became a legend for showing no hesitation and some serious athleticism as the action unfolded:
Some heroes wear capes — Chief Aaron Edwards wears blue. pic.twitter.com/wYvDfSbxgM
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) March 10, 2026
Now, new video has emerged showing another cop taking on the running suspected terrorist, Balat — and slamming his arse straight into the pavement with a perfect form tackle. You see Balat try to juke him, but the officer wasn’t having it and nailed him anyway.
If the National Football League isn’t calling, they should be:
NYPD TAKEDOWN: Heart-pounding new video shows the moment brave police officers courageously jump in to take down terror suspect Emir Balat after an attempted ISIS-inspired bombing at a New York City protest. pic.twitter.com/I2YG4n5XFO
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 18, 2026
What happened next, as you can see in the clip, didn’t go well for the would-be killer, and he deserved every second of it and a whole lot more.
Neither Balat nor his suspected accomplice Kayumi's future looks too bright, as they both may never taste freedom again. I’d be more confident in that statement, however, but this happened in New York, where officials often treat criminals better than they do their own citizens, so we’ll see.
Terrorism charges are no joke, though:
In a criminal complaint, prosecutors said a series of pictures shows the men handling the alleged bomb, which was determined to have contained TATP in addition to nuts and bolts that were attached with duct tape.
When speaking to law enforcement, Balat allegedly said he wanted the planned attack to be "bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing."
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the homemade bombs were real and capable of causing serious injury or death, adding that the incident is being investigated as terrorism.
After his arrest, while in a police precinct, Balat reportedly wrote a pledge of allegiance to ISIS. "All praise is due to Allah lord of all worlds! I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State," he wrote. "We take action."
Good luck with that.
Meanwhile, authorities conducted a search of a storage unit in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, that they believe is connected to the case and found “explosive materials.” The duo is being held without bail.
Here’s a slightly longer clip, which shows just how terrified the crowd was as they realized something bad was happening in their midst, as evidenced by the guy with the basketball:
🔥🚨This new video shows HERO NYPD officers taking down bomb suspect Emir Balat outside Gracie Mansion after he threw a homemade TATP explosive and dropped another.pic.twitter.com/44CoNvbYBi
— Red Line News (@RedLineNewsUSA) March 18, 2026
Either the NY Giants or the New York Jets would instantly be better with some of these cops on their team. I think we’re all glad they’re out there keeping the city safe, however.
The recognition they're receiving across the nation is well deserved.
Editor’s Note: New York City is now facing the consequences of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist takeover.
Help us continue to report on his radical policies and expose the Democrats who support him. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member