When then National President
Douglas DeLeaver met Duane Jackson at a New York vending stand years ago
the two men immediately connected. When Jackson learned about NOBLE he
liked the purpose and goals of the organization and joined as a
supporting member.
"Duane is a well educated man of character
and a good friend," said DeLeaver. "He also cares an awful lot about
his community. That caring was evident on Saturday night, when Jackson who is
president of the New York Chapter 817 of the Vietnam Veterans of
America, was at his vending stand with fellow vendor Lance Orton and
observed smoke coming from a vehicle, later found to be laden with
explosives. Their quick action in locating and notifying mounted
Officer Wayne Rhatigan allowed the police to evacuate the area and to
foil a fiery explosion in the
city's Broadway theater district that could have been devastating on a
crowded
Saturday night.
President Barack
Obama on Monday telephoned Jackson to commend him for alerting
authorities to the smoking
SUV. The White House said Obama thanked Jackson for his vigilance and
for acting quickly to prevent serious trouble.
New York
Governor David Paterson said New Yorkers owed a debt of gratitude to the
police and the
vigilant T-shirt vendor.
NOBLE President Ernest Green applauds
Jackson for exuding the tenants of community crime prevention in his
everyday life. "Whether we are addressing crime or terrorism we need
all members of the community to be vigilant and report suspicious
activity to law enforcement just as Duane has done for the past 13
years. Community policing is a partnership that works!"
Faisal Shahzad, 30, was arrested on a flight bound for Dubai and was charged with attempting to use weapons of mass
destruction and several related crimes. He later confessed on Tuesday that he had tried to explode a car bomb in Times Square, and had
received bomb-making training in the militant strongholds of western Pakistan,
according to a criminal complaint.
Good Morning America Interview with the
NYC Mayor and Duane Jackson 
