NYC Subway Hero Is Jersey City Resident Zack Tahhan

JERSEY CITY, NJ — A Jersey City resident who moved to the United States from Syria five years ago is being hailed as a hero after he spotted New York City subway shooting suspect Frank James on a security camera Wednesday and called police.

Zack Tahhan, 21, was helping install security cameras at a coffee shop on First Avenue in the East Village when he saw James walking, the New York Times reported.

On a video, Tahhan says he saw James stroll by and place a bag on the ground.

"I see the people walking next to him. I thought, 'Guys, be careful, keep far from him, '" Tahhan says in the video. "People think I'm crazy."

NorthJersey.com reported that Thursday, the day after Tahhan called police about James, he went to the North Hudson Islamic Educational Center, a mosque in Union City, to pray. According to the story, he was born in Brooklyn, but his family left the United States until he moved back.

Now, #Thankyouzack and #Thankyouzach are both trending on social media.

"Thank you Zack!," wrote one woman on Twitter. "Zack caught the Brooklyn shooter. Zack speaks 5 languages and is amazing. Share some love for him."

Zack himself Tweeted, on Thursday morning, "Good morning, my neighbors!"

Jersey City has a sizeable immigrant population. According to the U.S. Census, 42.5 percent of Jersey City residents were born outside the United States.

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