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Brooklyn subway shooting: Suspect likely to appear before court today
Authorities said a series of evidence links Frank James, 62, with the attack, including his credit card and a key to a van he'd rented that were found at the shooting scene.
Frank James, 62, who is accused of committing a mass shooting on a subway train in Brooklyn, New York, two days before, is expected to make his first court appearance on Thursday on federal terrorism charges. He was arrested in Manhattan yesterday following the attack in which at least 16 were left injured.
Citing authorities, The Associated Press (AP) reported that a series of evidence links James with the attack. These include his credit card and a key to a van he had rented that were found at the shooting scene. Furthermore, officers recovered the handgun used in the shooting, which records show James had purchased legally in Ohio in 2011.
The AP report also said that investigators were examining several hours of videos that James posted on social media, including one a day before the subway attack wherein he delivered profanity-filled verbal attacks about racism, society's treatment of black people, homelessness and violence. He also talked about his history of psychiatric treatment.
Born and brought up in New York city, James had moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, later. However, he had recently left Wisconsin and had briefly lived in Philadelphia.
James' name appeared after the New York Police Departmemt (NYPD) posted pictures of him on their Twitter account on Wednesday as a person of interest. “Take a good look! This individual is a person of interest for the incident that occurred early this morning in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The investigation is ongoing, but any information is helpful! (sic).” the post on the micro-blogging site read.
Earlier in the day, it was reported that one Zach Dahhan has become a hero in New York after he spotted the suspect in security cameras and alerted the police. Taking to Twitter, New York Attorney General, Letitia James, shared a video and wrote, “Thank you for your bravery today, Zack. All of New York is grateful.”
In the video, Zack is heard saying, “I saw the guys walking in from the security cameras. And I said... Oh, this guy, let me call the police. And we catch.”
After initial reports of the shooting incident came to light, police said they were looking for a gunman in a gas mask and a construction vest, who they believed had set off a smoke canister on the subway train. Police added that the gunman fired 33 times.
(With inputs from agencies)
