Hero NYPD Chief Seen Chasing ISIS Terror Suspects Relives His Split-Second Decision

A New York City Police Department police chief who stopped a pair of ISIS-inspired men accused of trying to detonate a homemade bomb over the weekend credited his police instincts for inspiring his split-second reaction to the attempted terror attack.  

“When you see danger, you have that cop in you,” Chief Aaron Edwards told the New York Post. “You react to it.”

On Saturday, Edwards helped detain 18-year-old Emir Balat and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi after they allegedly attempted to set off multiple improvised explosive devices outside of Gracie Mansion, New York City’s official mayoral residence. Both men have been charged federally with terrorism and are believed to have been inspired by ISIS.

Edwards, 46, saw a device being lit on Saturday and said the only thing that went through his mind was stopping the threat. 

“Three things gotta happen right now — we’ve got to catch this person, we’ve got to get people away from this device, and we’ve got to secure this area,” he told The New York Post. “And we were able to do that.”

A photo of Edwards leaping over a fence to chase after Balat quickly went viral and was shared online by the New York City Police Department. 

Some heroes wear capes — Chief Aaron Edwards wears blue. pic.twitter.com/wYvDfSbxgM

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) March 10, 2026

Leading up to that moment, Edwards said he was on patrol when a fellow officer tapped him on the shoulder and asked what Balat and Kayumi were doing. 

“And you know, we needed to just start running towards them. We’re giving commands, we’re making verbal commands,” he said. “We start running towards them and, you know, the rest you can see on video.”

“I don’t mind doing the work, get my hands dirty,” Edwards added. “So when this happens — and it happens rather quickly — it wasn’t a thought in my mind on the danger.”

While he was praised for quick action, Edwards said his wife had a different reaction to the viral photo of him jumping toward danger. 

“She has a screenshot of it, she has it circled. She puts it in caps — in big caps: ‘WRONG DIRECTION SIR,’” he said. 

Edwards was inspired to become a police officer in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. He said he was ready to respond to danger at all times. 

“I always say, we’re all cops, right?” Edwards told the New York Post. “Regardless of rank, regardless of life, regardless of position, you’re a cop first. Once a cop, always a cop.”