The suspect behind the Brooklyn subway shooting of ten people was arrested Wednesday after he called authorities and told them to apprehend him. He was subsequently charged with a federal terrorism offense, police said.
Frank R. James, 62, was arrested almost 30 hours after the rush-hour shooting incident occurred on a crowded subway train.
Frank R. James Will Make His First Appearance in Court on Thursday When He’ll Face a Federal Terrorism Charge Related to the Subway Shooting.
“My fellow New Yorkers, we got him,” Mayor Eric Adams said after James’ arrest.
James could potentially face life in prison stemming from the federal terrorism charge that specifically targets violent attacks on mass transit systems. He is due to appear in court on Thursday, Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said.
RELATED: Suspect Reportedly Responsible for Brooklyn Subway Shooting Arrested By 9th Precinct Patrol Officers
Before becoming a suspect in the subway shooting, James uploaded videos to social media in which he criticized violence and racism in the US. He also targeted New York City’s mental health care services and his struggles with mental health, the AP reports.
He also targeted the Mayor’s mental health care policies and subway safety in the videos. Despite these public grievances, authorities still do not have a clear motive for the shooting incident. Police also believe that James is not involved with any domestic or international terrorist organizations.
On Wednesday, James was taken into custody and transferred to the federal Bureau of Prisons and was eventually held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Before James tipped off the police, authorities had released his name and photo, urging the public to come forward with any information about his whereabouts. They also offered a $50,000 reward and sent alerts to mobile phones asking for help.
Ultimately, the tipster ended up being James and he told police that they could find him in a McDonald’s in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, police explained.
When officers arrived, James was not at the fast-food restaurant but he was later spotted at an intersection nearby, Chief of Department Kenneth Corey shared.
“There was nowhere left for him to run,” Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said following the arrest.
The arrest followed the subway shooting that left at least a dozen people injured.
“I don’t think I could ever ride a train again,” Hourari Benkada, a woman who was shot in the leg, told CNN from her hospital bed.
James detonated two smoke grenades and fired at least 33 shots with a 9mm handgun in a subway car packed with commuters, police said.
After the first smoke grenade was detonated, a passenger on the train asked James what he was doing. “Oops,” James said before he set off a second smoke bomb, and then opened fire, Chief of Detectives James Essig said.
Video of folks coming out of the subway after todays terrible shooting. Maybe all injured recover quickly: my heart goes out to you. pic.twitter.com/stxfjQVnQS
— Michael V. Meyers (@BC9MVM) April 12, 2022
When the train stopped following the incident, James exited the train and hopped on another before disappearing for over 24 hours.
Identifying the suspect came easily to authorities thanks to evidence left by James on the train including a gun, that was bought in Ohio in 2011, ammunition, a hatchet, smoke grenades, gasoline, a bank card in his name, and the key to a U-Haul van he rented Monday in Philadelphia, police said.
James was born in New York but had recently lived in Philadelphia and Milwaukee, authorities believe.
Less than 24 hours after the shooting, the Brooklyn subway station where passengers escaped the violence was reopened and operational as usual.
Mamas Uncut is THE online place for moms. We cover the latest about motherhood, parenting, and entertainment as well – all with a mom-focused twist. So if you're looking for parenting advice from real parents, we have plenty of it, all for moms from moms, and also experts. Because, at the end of the day, our mission is focused solely on empowering moms and moms-to-be with the knowledge and answers they’re looking for in one safe space.