A retired New York City corrections officer is being praised as a hero after helping stop a bank robbery in Bethpage Thursday.

Police say a 23-year-old homeless man stormed into a Bank of America, demanded money and threatened to blow up the building if he didn?t get it. According to witnesses, the robber claimed to be a cancer patient who had nothing to lose. They say he left a backpack on the counter and turned to leave the bank when employees refused to comply. It was then that the retired officer tackled and detained the man until police arrived.

Investigators say the bomb was bogus, and no injuries were reported. Nearby businesses were evacuated and LIRR service on the Ronkonkoma line was suspended during the incident.

Related Information: Police investigate bank robbery in Bethpage