<p class="speakable">Two NYPD officers are being honored by New York City Mayor <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/person/zohran-mamdani" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Zohran Mamdani</a> after jumping into action to thwart an alleged ISIS-inspired terror attack outside Gracie Mansion over the weekend. </p><p class="speakable">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. </p><p>Edwards reportedly jumped over a barrier and tackled Emir Balat, 18, to the ground after he allegedly hurled an <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/terror/bombings" rel="noopener" target="_blank">improvised explosive device</a> at a group of protesters and was about to throw a second batch handed to him by Ibrahim Kayumi, 19.</p><p>As the chaos unfolded, Navarro ran towards 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.</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/warrants-served-new-jersey-pennsylvania-feds-look-possible-nyc-terrorism" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>WARRANTS SERVED IN NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA AS FEDS LOOK INTO POSSIBLE NYC TERRORISM</strong></a></p><p>Mamdani thanked both men for their bravery after also recognizing them in a private meeting. </p><p>"That is courage, that is selflessness, and I am deeply grateful to both of them and to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/crime/police-and-law-enforcement" rel="noopener" target="_blank">every member of the NYPD</a> who works every single day to keep New Yorkers safe," Mamdani said.</p><p>Edwards was recently promoted to borough chief of Manhattan, north in December of last year after serving nearly 23 years as an NYPD officer, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/31/us-news/meet-two-of-nypds-newly-anointed-assistant-chiefs-fell-in-love-with-policing/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><u>according to</u></a> the New York Post.</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/suspect-nyc-terror-probe-planned-attack-bigger-than-boston-marathon-bombing-prosecutors-say" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>SUSPECT IN NYC TERROR PROBE PLANNED ATTACK 'BIGGER THAN THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING,' PROSECUTORS SAY</strong></a></p><p>Edwards was inspired to become an officer after the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/terror/september-11" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks</a> on New York City. </p><p>"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.</p><p>"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."</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/storage-facility-raided-feds-investigate-alleged-isis-inspired-nyc-bomb-throwers" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>STORAGE FACILITY RAIDED AS FEDS INVESTIGATE ALLEGED ISIS-INSPIRED NYC BOMB THROWERS</strong></a></p><p>On Monday, Tisch said the officer’s actions on Saturday followed the same theme of his inspiration to join the department. </p><p>"We saw that same spirit carried forward in the way that he responded," Tisch said, <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/03/09/nypd-officers-edwards-navarro-who-nabbed-terror-suspect-grabbed-explosives-at-gracie-mansion-protest-honored/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><u>according to</u></a> the New York Daily News.</p><p><a href="https://foxnews.onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP</strong></a></p><p>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. </p><p>Both Balat and Kayumi are facing <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/politics/justice-department" rel="noopener" target="_blank">federal terrorism charges</a> stemming from the alleged attack. </p><p>The NYPD did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. </p>