Four Port Authority police officers are being hailed as heroes after they arrested a man who detonated a pipe bomb in a New York City subway passageway Monday morning.
Officers Anthony Manfredini, Sean Gallagher, Jack Collins and Drew Preston jumped on top of 27-year-old Akayed Ullah and removed the device from his body before taking him into custody, according to ABC News.
The explosion, which occurred near the Port Authority Bus Terminal, sent commuters scrambling to evacuate the major transit hub located just blocks from Times Square.
Officials said that luckily, only five people suffered minor injuries due to the blast.
Port Authority Police Benevolent Association President Paul Nunziato told ABC that Manfredini was stationed just outside the corridor where the explosion occurred. He radioed for help before entering the corridor with the three other officers.
"They engaged the suspect, who was on the ground, they handcuffed him, they saw wires, cellphone. They made a split-second decision to actually get on top of him and restrain him, and (Manfredini) actually removed the device off of his person before he could further detonate it," he said.
The bomb was reportedly built from a 12-inch-long pipe, black powder and rigged with a 9-volt battery and a wire that came from a Christmas light. The pipe had nails stuffed into it and had the ability to cause more injuries than it did. Officials said the pipe did not fully shatter and a 6-inch piece was discovered fully intact.
"It's a split-second decision based on training. Training and having the moxie to get in there, to put your life on the line. ... I'm extremely proud," Nunziato, who praised the quick actions of the officers, said. "They couldn’t have done it any better."
Ullah was charged Tuesday with five federal terrorism-related charges and three state terrorism-related charges.
