By MICHAEL R. SISAK, MICHAEL BALSAMO and JENNIFER PELTZ
NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of taking pictures 10 folks on a Brooklyn subway practice was arrested Wednesday and charged with a federal terrorism offense after a daylong manhunt and a tipster’s name introduced police to him on a Manhattan avenue.
Frank R. James, 62, was taken into custody about 30 hours after the carnage on a crowded rush-hour practice. He was awaiting arraignment on a cost that pertains to terrorist or different violent assaults towards mass transit techniques, Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace mentioned, and carries a sentence of as much as life in jail.
There isn’t any indication that James had ties to terror organizations — worldwide or in any other case — and the motive stays unclear, Peace mentioned.
It wasn’t instantly clear whether or not James, who’s from New York however has lived lately in Philadelphia and Milwaukee, has an lawyer or anybody else who can converse for him. An indication taped to the door of James’ residence in Milwaukee asks that each one mail be delivered to a publish workplace field.
Tuesday’s taking pictures left 5 folks in crucial situation, however all 10 gunshot victims have been anticipated to outlive.
Police had initially mentioned Tuesday that James was being searched for questioning as a result of he had rented a van probably related to the assault, however weren’t positive whether or not he was liable for the taking pictures.
In latest months, James had railed in on-line movies about racism and violence within the U.S. and about his experiences with psychological well being care in New York City. In some movies, he criticized Adams’ insurance policies on psychological well being and subway security.
The gunman set off smoke grenades in a crowded subway automobile after which fired a minimum of 33 pictures with a 9 mm handgun, police mentioned. At least a dozen others who escaped gunshot wounds have been handled for smoke inhalation and different accidents.
The shooter escaped within the chaos, however left behind quite a few clues, together with the gun, ammunition magazines, a hatchet, smoke grenades, gasoline and the important thing to a U-Haul van.
That key led investigators to James, a New York City-area native who had more moderen addresses in Philadelphia and Wisconsin.
Federal investigators decided the gun used within the taking pictures was bought by James at a pawn store — a licensed firearms supplier — within the Columbus, Ohio, space in 2011.
The van was discovered, unoccupied, close to a station the place investigators decided the gunman had entered the subway system. No explosives or firearms have been discovered within the van, a regulation enforcement official who wasn’t approved to touch upon the investigation and did so on the situation of anonymity informed The Associated Press. Police did discover different objects, together with pillows, suggesting he might have been sleeping or deliberate to sleep within the van, the official mentioned.
Investigators consider James drove up from Philadelphia on Monday and have reviewed surveillance video exhibiting a person matching his bodily description popping out of the van early Tuesday morning, the official mentioned. Other video exhibits James coming into a subway station in Brooklyn with a big bag, the official mentioned.
In addition to analyzing monetary and phone data related to James, investigators have been reviewing hours of rambling, profanity-filled movies James posted on YouTube and different social media platforms as they tried to discern a motive.
In one video, posted a day earlier than the assault, James, who’s Black, criticizes crime towards Black folks and says drastic motion is required.
“You got kids going in here now taking machine guns and mowing down innocent people,” James says. “It’s not going to get better until we make it better,” he mentioned, including that he thought issues would solely change if sure folks have been “stomped, kicked and tortured” out of their “comfort zone.”
In one other video he says, “this nation was born in violence, it’s kept alive by violence or the threat thereof and it’s going to die a violent death. There’s nothing going to stop that.”
His posts are replete with violent language and bigoted feedback, some towards Black folks.
Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell referred to as the posts “concerning” and officers tightened safety for Adams, who was already isolating following a optimistic COVID-19 take a look at Sunday.
Several of James’ movies point out New York’s subways. A Feb. 20 video says the mayor and governor’s plan to deal with homelessness and security within the subway system “is doomed for failure” and refers to himself as a “victim” of town’s psychological well being packages. A Jan. 25 video criticizes Adams’ plan to finish gun violence.
The Brooklyn subway station the place passengers fled the smoke-filled practice within the assault was open as ordinary Wednesday morning, lower than 24 hours after the violence.
Commuter Jude Jacques, who takes the D practice to his job as a hearth security director some two blocks from the taking pictures scene, mentioned he prays each morning however had a particular request on Wednesday.
“I said, ‘God, everything is in your hands,’” Jacques mentioned. “I was antsy, and you can imagine why. Everybody is scared because it just happened.”
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Balsamo reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Jim Mustian, Beatrice Dupuy, Karen Matthews, Julie Walker, Deepti Hajela, Michelle L. Price and David Porter in New York contributed to this report, and Michael Kunzelman contributed from College Park, Maryland.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”