Syrian 'hero' Zack Tahhan 'helps cops' nab Brooklyn subway shooter suspect

A Syrian national allegedly helped police catch the suspect in the Brooklyn subway shooting in New York City, according to reports.

Syrian Zack Tahhan, 21, said he was watching CCTV cameras in a store he works in when he noticed Frank James on a screen, a suspect who has since been charged with a federal terrorism offense.

James was wanted by police for questioning in connection with the shooting on Tuesday which left 29 people injured and five in critical conditions.

Tahhan claims to have alerted the police on the whereabouts of the 62-year-old suspect following the attack, which saw a shooter throw a smoke bomb into a subway carriage and open fire on passengers.

"I seen him walking on the sidewalk, I watch him, the camera from the screen and I thought ‘oh my god, this the guy'," Tahan told reporters, explaining that he called the police after seeing the suspect.

Zack Tahhan, a 21-year-old man from Syria, recounts how he called police in an effort to catch the Brooklyn subway shooting suspect in the East Village https://t.co/58zisAkwBZ pic.twitter.com/hK2CAPq1zq

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"I thought… this is the guy, we need to catch him… we can’t leave him like this … and I was working and I got him… thank God," Tahan continued.

Police tracked down James after receiving a tip about his potential whereabouts, an official told AP.

During a police briefing on Wednesday, officials did not mention Tahhan's involvement. 

James was taken into police custody and the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Breon Peace, announced the charge against him at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

Police had initially said Tuesday that James was being sought for questioning because he had rented a van possibly connected to the attack.

Mayor Eric Adams said in a series of media interviews Wednesday morning that investigators had upgraded James to a suspect, but did not offer details beyond citing "new information that became available to the team".