The NYPD is treating the attack at Gracie Mansion as an ISIS-inspired act of terrorism after two men threw improvised explosive devices during protests outside Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence, with a third device found in a nearby vehicle; none detonated but the devices were packed with shrapnel and a chemical substance, and federal and local authorities have launched coordinated searches and investigations into the suspects and their possible ties abroad.
Two young men allegedly launched improvised explosive devices into a protest crowd outside Gracie Mansion, and a third device was recovered from a vehicle nearby. Although the devices did not detonate, they contained nuts, bolts, and screws that clearly intended to maim or kill, and one emitted smoke when it was thrown. The city is lucky those devices failed, but that does not change the nature of the threat that was posed.
NYPD officials now say the incident is likely an ISIS-inspired act of terrorism and are investigating it on that basis. That elevates the response to include federal authorities and counterterrorism teams who will trace the suspects’ networks and travel history. The mayor’s office was briefed at a press conference where limited details were provided while the probe continues.
The two suspects in custody are identified as Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, both Pennsylvania residents who were arrested at the scene. Federal law enforcement executed search warrants at locations in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and at a related address in New Jersey as part of an expanding investigation. Those searches aim to uncover any materials, communications, or contacts that tie these men to extremist organizations or training abroad.
A New York Police Department source told Fox News that devices hurled into the crowd were packed with nuts, bolts and screws, and contained a chemical substance inside a taped canister fitted with a fuse.
Balat and Kayumi, who were arrested on Saturday, remained in custody as federal teams searched their homes in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, according to federal sources.
Investigators also executed a warrant at a related address in New Jersey.
Sources say investigators heard pro-ISIS statements from the suspects while they were in custody, which pushed the inquiry firmly into the terrorism realm. Authorities are also reviewing past travel records, including trips to Turkey and possibly other locations that U.S. officials consider potential terror training grounds. That travel review will be crucial to determine whether this was local radicalization or part of a broader transnational plot.
The FBI has opened a parallel investigation, coordinating with the NYPD to follow leads and evidence across state lines and overseas. When explosives and extremist rhetoric appear together, federal involvement is standard and necessary to map any wider networks. While detectives comb through phones, social media, and travel records, the threat assessment is evolving and will determine possible federal charges.
Local officials and much of the mainstream press have attempted to frame aspects of the story in ways that deflect the clear security questions at hand. There is a tendency to minimize motive or to label the event as merely a clash at a protest rather than what the initial evidence suggests: an attempted extremist attack in the heart of New York City. That framing must not dilute the seriousness of the evidence pointing to violent Islamist extremism.
Investigators emphasize the devices were not toy explosives; they were weapons designed to maximize casualties, and the presence of a chemical component in a taped canister raises additional alarms. The fact that the devices failed to fully detonate was fortunate, not indicative of a lack of intent or capability. Law enforcement will press charges and follow every lead to prevent a repeat.
Sources said the two suspects, Balat and Kayumi, allegedly made pro-ISIS statements while in custody.
Investigators are also examining their past travel, including trips to Turkey and potentially other locations known as terror training grounds.
Public safety demands blunt language and decisive action when extremist violence surfaces on American streets, and officials must treat the facts for what they are. New Yorkers should expect transparency from their leaders and an unambiguous commitment to prosecuting those who aim to bring terror to our cities. The investigation will proceed, evidence will be presented where appropriate, and the full scope of any networks involved will be pursued.
This was a terrorist attack on New York City.
Say it, Mayor.
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