During March 7, 2026, chaotic dueling protests outside Gracie Mansion in New York City escalated when two teenagers from Pennsylvania allegedly threw homemade explosive devices toward crowds and police officers. The improvised devices, reportedly TATP-based and packed with nuts and bolts for shrapnel, smoked but did not fully detonate.
According to the New York City Police Department, Assistant Chief Aaron Edwards and Sgt. Luis Navarro spotted the suspects preparing the devices. Edwards vaulted a barricade in pursuit and tackled 18-year-old Emir Balat, who had thrown one device and tried to grab another from 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi. Both suspects shouted “ISIS” during the arrest and pledged allegiance to the group, with Balat reportedly aiming for an impact larger than the Boston Marathon bombing.
Arrested at the scene, the teens face federal charges in the Southern District of New York, including attempting to provide material support to ISIS and use of a weapon of mass destruction. They were held without bail following arraignment. No ongoing threat has been identified, and no foreign ties were confirmed.
Edwards told the NY Post, “We’re all cops… Once a cop, always a cop. When you see danger, you have that cop in you. You react.” Both Edwards and Navarro were honored by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Commissioner Jessica Tisch for running toward danger, demonstrating heroism and leadership in protecting the city.
How should law enforcement handle threats like this?
Watch the shocking moment caught on camera:
