"I've heard questions like, 'Did you know how serious it was?' And I can tell you at the time, no, but it's the moments after, Edwards said. It might have been about maybe two hours after Sergeant Navarro and I were talking, and it really hits you, that this is, this is a lot more serious than we had even initially thought."
"A photograph of Edwards soaring over a metal barricade as he pursued Balat has gone viral online, with thousands hailing his heroism. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch herself admitted the device could have led to the deaths of the surrounding crowd, had it gone off."
"The good thing is, we have such a great support system in the NYPD, the chief added. Both Edwards and Navarro are fathers of two young children, making the decision to run toward the armed suspect particularly significant."
Chief Aaron Edwards and Sergeant Luis Navarro responded to an alleged ISIS-inspired terrorist attack outside Gracie Mansion when suspect Emir Balat held a smoking IED during a chaotic protest. The officers were captured on camera racing toward the armed suspect, with Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch acknowledging the device could have killed surrounding crowds if detonated. Both officers are fathers of two children. Speaking at One Police Plaza, they revealed the full gravity of their actions only became apparent hours and days later. Edwards described the delayed realization of danger, noting that while they didn't fully comprehend the severity in the moment, reflection afterward made clear how serious the situation was. The officers credited their support system within the NYPD for helping process the experience.
Read at www.amny.com
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