Frank R. James, 62, was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon at 1:42 p.m. in Manhattan’s East Village.
Breon Peace, the U.S. attorney for New York’s Eastern District, said Wednesday James has been charged with having committed a terrorist act on a mass transit system. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.
James' arrest was announced at a Wednesday press conference.
“We got him,” declared N.Y.C. Mayor Eric Adams at the start of the press conference.
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James was identified as a person of interest in the subway shooting late Tuesday afternoon, and was subsequently declared a suspect.
According to New York Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, James allegedly put on a gas mask at 8:24 a.m. on Tuesdaybefore pulling out a smoke canisterfrom his backpack and throwing it on the ground, causing the car of the Manhattan-bound N train to fill with smoke.
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Then, he started shooting, firing 33 times from a gun that officials said he purchased in Ohio in 2011.
Investigators allege that after the shooting, James exited the N train, boarded an R train across the platform, and then exited one stop away, at 25th Street.
At the scene, authorities recovered a Glock 17 9mm handgun and three extended-type Glock magazines — noting that one was still in the weapon, one was under the seat, and one was in a backpack.
Officials believe James' gun jammed, preventing further harm.
Investigators also found 15 bullets, five bullet fragments, two detonated smoke grenades, two non-detonated smoke grenades, a hatchet, a black garbage can, a black rolling cart, gasoline and a U-Haul key at the scene.
Police have yet to discuss a possible motive forthe mass shooting.
At the time of the shooting, James was allegedly wearing a green “construction-type” vest and a gray hooded sweatshirt.
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Sewell have said they are not handling the shooting as an act of terrorism at the moment.
It was unclear if James has an attorney.
source: people.com
