MTA officers arrest terror suspects at New York Penn Station
New York City NY Nov 24. 2022 New York City transit and law enforcement officials, as well as leaders of the Jewish community, recognized two Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) police officers for making arrests at New York Penn Station on Nov. 19 that thwarted a potential attack on the area’s Jewish community.
According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, he and Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell were notified by the FBI of credible threat against New York’s Jewish community. One of the two suspects arrested was flagged for making antisemitic and threatening posts online, including references to perpetrate an armed attack on a synagogue.
The FBI, New York Police Department (NYPD) Joint Terrorist Task Force, NYPD Intelligence Bureau and MTA Police Department took on a coordinated effort that ended with the two suspects in custody.
“This was not an idle threat. This was a real threat,” explained Mayor Adams. “After arresting the suspects, law enforcement officers recovered a Glock semi-automatic firearm, a ghost gun with an extended 30-round magazine and laser sight, a large hunting knife, a black ski mask and a Nazi arm band. A Nazi arm band, in New York City, in 2022. Think about that for a moment.”
MTA police officers Ryan Fackner and Conor Colasurdo were patrolling Penn Station when a “Be On The Lookout” (BOLO) was issued for one suspect and noted he may be traveling to Penn Station on the subway to take the Long Island Rail Road. Officers Fackner and Colasurdo were provided full descriptions from NYPD and the Joint Terrorist Task Force.
“We were up at 34th and Seventh, 34th Street and Seventh Avenue when we saw him actually walk in with his friend. They both walked in through the entrance. We followed him down the escalator, stopped him and made the arrest,” said Officer Fackner.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber called the situation “a little personal” explaining his father fled Nazis in 1941 and lost many relatives in the Holocaust.
“You can imagine my reaction when I heard from City Hall late Friday night there were people with Nazi swastika arm bands using our MTA transit system — which I’m privileged to oversee — using our transit system en route to planned attacks on synagogues,” Lieber said. “Attacks like the one planned by these two men are particularly repugnant. Hatred and violence based on religion and race have no place in New York or the transit system.”
“Hatred and antisemitism will not take foothold in our city. No one should feel threatened walking down the street or traveling on the subway. We are going to fight the rise in antisemitism and extremism and continue to support our law enforcement communities and thank all that were involved,” added Mayor Adams.
