Brooklyn subway shooting suspect arrested while wandering NYC streets, will reportedly face terror-related charges



New York City police have arrested 62-year-old Frank James, the primary suspect in Tuesday morning's Brooklyn subway shooting that injured more than two dozen people.

In a tweet Wednesday afternoon, NYPD commissioner Keechant Sewell declared, "Frank Robert James had nowhere else to run or hide — and is now in NYPD custody. The work of our detectives is second to none and the dedication of our patrol officers is never ending."

Frank Robert James had nowhere else to run or hide \u2014 and is now in NYPD custody. The work of our detectives is second to none and the dedication of our patrol officers is never ending.pic.twitter.com/uOXliUvoJ7
— Commissioner Sewell (@Commissioner Sewell) 1649874677

James was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after being spotted by bystanders at a McDonald’s near East 6th Street and First Avenue in the East Village, the New York Post reported.

Police quickly responded to the tip and eventually intercepted the suspect a few blocks away at St. Mark’s Place and First Avenue. When officers caught up to James, they found him casually sauntering down the street. He was reportedly taken into custody "without incident."

"My fellow New Yorkers, we got him. We got him," Mayor Eric Adams said in a press conference following news of the arrest, according to WABC-TV.

Videos purportedly showing the moment that James was handcuffed and led into the back of a patrol vehicle have been posted on social media.

Just witnessed the subway shooter Frank James being arrested in the middle of the East Village\u2026crazy\u2026.pic.twitter.com/g5CJsUpUSF
— chimichurri (@chimichurri) 1649873379
BREAKING: Alleged subway shooter, Frank James arrested! Police believe he shot 10 people and injured 13 more yesterday. Latest on @CBSNewYorkpic.twitter.com/O60OxsYbWW
— John Dias (@John Dias) 1649877347

James is currently being held at the NYPD's 9th Precinct.

He is expected to face terror-related charges for setting off a smoke grenade on a subway train car before opening fire on dozens of innocent passengers. He was wearing a gas mask and a reflective vest at the time of the attack.

WABC reported that James will be charged under a federal statute that prohibits terrorist and other violent attacks within a mass transit system. Another federal charge for crossing state lines will also be applied.

James, who is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was identified as a suspect in the case after a set of keys and a credit card linked him to the crime scene.

Brooklyn shooting suspect Frank James arrested while strolling NYC street https://trib.al/xWuKupG\u00a0pic.twitter.com/RB797MCq3w
— New York Post (@New York Post) 1649878357

Another surveillance video published by WNBC-TV allegedly shows James entering a subway station two hours prior to the attack.

Breaking: WNBC has published video showing #Brooklyn subway mass shooting suspect Frank James entering the Kings Highway subway station at 6:15 am yesterday. James expressed extremist black nationalist views & hatred of other races on his social media.pic.twitter.com/NLljKPFSeH
— Andy Ng\u00f4 \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Andy Ng\u00f4 \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1649872115

In the hours following the hellish attack, rambling and conspiracy-laden videos that James had recently uploaded to YouTube were unearthed and circulated. In the videos, James espoused controversial views on race, angrily complained about the city's mental health services, and threatened NYC's mayor.

"It’s just a matter of time before these white motherf***ers decide, ‘Hey listen, enough is enough, these n***ers got to go,'" he said in one of the videos, seeming to predict a race war was coming.

Witnesses have claimed the attacker was seen muttering under his breath before launching the attack.

Mayor Adams defended the terror charges on Wednesday, saying, "There was a clear desire to create terror. If you bring a smoke bomb or would you bring an automatic weapon with a gas mask and in a very methodical way injured ... innocent New Yorkers, that is terror."

Man who sat next to Brooklyn subway shooter recounts moments before and after smoke bomb went off and gunfire erupted: 'Loudest thing I’ve ever heard in my life'



A man who was reportedly sitting next to the Brooklyn subway shooter moments before he unleashed violence and chaos on the train car offered a firsthand glimpse of the harrowing experience during an interview Tuesday.

From his hospital bed, 27-year-old Hourari Benkada told CNN's John Berman that he was just on his way to work, minding his own business, when he hopped on the N train shortly before 8:30 a.m. that morning. He sat down next to a man wearing a gas mask and what appeared to be a Metropolitan Transportation Authority get-up.

Suddenly, a "smoke bomb" went off and black smoke filled the car. Then dozens of gunshots rang out and occupants scrambled hysterically. The gunshots hit at least 10 passengers. Benkada was one of them. A bullet entered through the back of his knee before grazing his kneecap and exiting the other side.

"This makes me want to never ride a train ever again in my life," Benkada said, shaking. "I don’t even know how I’m holding my phone [right now]."

"All you see is black smoke after the smoke bomb went off. People bum-rushing to the back," he recalled.

"About 10 shots went off. I think the gun jammed. I think he had an extended clip or something because I’ve never heard that many shots come off a handgun. It sounded like the loudest thing I’ve ever heard in my life."

'All you see was black smoke': NYC subway shooting survivor describes moment attack began youtu.be

Benkada, reportedly a housekeeping manager at the New Yorker Hotel, said that as the shooting started, he heard a pregnant woman screaming for help so he hugged her to shield her from the gunfire.

"There was a pregnant woman. ... She said 'I am pregnant with a baby,' I hugged her," he added. "The bum rush continued, I got pushed, and that’s when I got shot in the back end of my knee."

According to Benkada, the shooting went on for at least a minute before passengers were able to break the train car doors open and flee into the station. He noted that the gun appeared to jam, which may have prevented further bloodshed. That has since been corroborated by investigators.

The survivor said he was not paying attention prior to the attack and thus did not get a good look at the suspect.

"I just had my headphones in my ear, my phone in my hand, minding my business, my head down, sitting down," he said.

New York City police identified a person of interest on Tuesday — 62-year-old Frank James of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Keys and a credit card recovered at the crime scene were connected to a U-Haul cargo van recently rented by James. A manhunt for James is under way.

Authorities described James as a troubled man who expressed disdain for New York City Mayor Eric Adams and had begun uploading bizarre and threat-filled rants to YouTube. Other witnesses claimed they saw the suspect mumbling to himself on the train before carrying out the acts of violence.

Despite 10 being shot and at least a dozen more heading to hospitals for other treatment, somehow, none of the victims of the attack sustained life-threatening injuries.

Benkada is reportedly expected to recover and to be able to walk again after spending a few weeks on crutches. But he said the pain from the injury is "worst" he's ever experienced.

"I didn’t think it was serious til I got out of the train and pulled my pants down and that’s when I saw blood gushing out," he added.

BREAKING: Multiple people shot in Brooklyn subway; police find several 'undetonated devices'



At least five people were shot inside a subway station in Brooklyn, New York, early Tuesday, and police are reporting that several undetonated devices have also been located at the scene.

The incident occurred at the 36th Street and 4th Avenue station in Sunset Park at approximately 8:30 a.m., police said.

WNBC-TV reported that law enforcement officials are describing the suspect as a black male who is roughly 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighing 180 pounds. He was reportedly wearing a gas mask and an orange construction vest at the time of the shooting.

The outlet added that law enforcement sources believe the suspect may have thrown a device prior to opening fire. A manhunt for the gunman is now under way, according to WABC-TV.

Brooklyn subway shooting www.youtube.com

The New York City Fire Department and other emergency medical responders have arrived on the scene to treat victims.

The extent of the victims' injuries was not immediately clear, but photos and videos posted on social media showed several people bloodied from the gunfire and lying on the ground. Some appeared to be injured in their legs.

Police have not yet offered further information regarding the undetonated devices.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.