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Cops arrest man in connection to East Flatbush shooting at party that left nine wounded

A motorist suspected of taking part in the shooting of nine people in East Flatbush early Sunday morning was nabbed by a phalanx of Port Authority cops who allowed him to drive through the Holland Tunnel so they could “box him in,” sources said.

The suspect, identified by sources as Tyrone Browne, was captured shortly before 4 p.m. today, after cops released photos of two men wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting, sources said. He was later arrested and charged with attempted murder, assault, criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment.

The East Flatbush fusillade left nine adults wounded but all are in stable or good condition, authorities said.

A caller told cops that Browne’s car – a white Nissan Maxima – was typically driven through the Holland Tunnel each afternoon and the NYPD developed further information through hi-tech “license plate readers” that narrowed down the New Jersey-to-Manhattan trek to a window that occurred between 3 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., sources said.

After learning of the development from the NYPD Warrant Squad, PAPD Lt. Joseph Macaluso and Captain Geraldo Silva, head of the Port Authority Police Department’s Emergency Service Squad, hatched a plan to use more than half a dozen PAPD vehicles that would give the wanted man nowhere to run.

“The information we had is that he shot nine people and that he was an imminent risk, so we didn’t want to take any chances,” said one PAPD source, explaining cops’ caution.

Shortly after 3:30 p.m., a bit later than anticipated, Port Authority Police Officer Michael Cerullo spotted Browne driving the wanted Maxima on 12th Street, in Jersey City, not far from the Holland Tunnel entrance, a source explained.

After Officer Cerullo alerted his superiors, police brass made a decision not to stop him in New Jersey, but to instead allow him to drive to Manhattan, so cops could trap him in the tunnel, a source added.

As part of that plan, cops driving more than half a dozen PAPD vehicles began to jockey and maneuver for position to give Browne no avenue to escape, the sources said.

Police Officer Jon Hart, in a PAPD radio patrol vehicle, began driving in front of Browne.

Immediately behind Browne’s white Maxima, were two other PAPD vehicles, the first a PAPD ESU truck driven by PAPD Officer Jay Marenberg, accompanied by PAPD Officer Vincent Morrelli.

Behind Marenberg’s truck was a second PAPD ESU truck driven by PAPD Officer Frank Pullizzi, accompanied by PAPD Officer Edward Bauer.

And behind the two ESU trucks was ESU Lt. Macaluso, who was trailing in a SUV he was driving, sources explained.

As the unsuspecting Browne drove his Maxima to Manhattan with the tunnel’s wall on his right, he was being flanked by a fifth PAPD vehicle – an unmarked PAPD ESU van driven by Lt. Rick Munnley – on his left side.

Other police vehicles were in front of and behind the caravan, to slow down vehicular traffic if necessary and to limit any possible danger to motorists – and when Browne’s vehicle reached the Manhattan side of the tunnel, the jig was soon up.

Officer Hart began to slow down before stopping – and cops suddenly approached the Maxima from all directions with their guns drawn, allowing Browne to be taken into custody without incident.

A NYPD spokesman said a man was in custody and being interviewed, but he had not yet been charged in the case.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the man who held the party where the shooting occurred has done so for the last three years.

“He advertises widely and charges five dollars to get in,” Kelly said.

The man also puts plywood around his home to control the flow of attendees coming in and out of the gathering held on his deck.

Council Member Jumaane Williams, in whose East Flatbush district where the shooting took place, today proposed a new law requiring all New Yorkers hosting parties with more than 40 people to inform their local community boards.

Kconley@nypost.com