NEW YORK — The man accused of shooting 10 people on a Brooklyn subway train has been arrested and charged with a federal terrorism offense.
Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said the motive remains unclear, and there is no indication the suspect has ties to terror organizations. The 62-year-old Frank R. James was taken into custody Wednesday, about 30 hours after the violence.
A message seeking comment was sent to a lawyer representing him. Two law enforcement officials say the suspect called police to say he could be found at a McDonald’s in Manhattan’s East Village neighborhood. The two officials weren’t authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.
When officers arrived to arrest James, they did not immediately find him there but were able to find him on a street corner nearby.
"We were able to shrink his world quickly. There was nowhere left to run," said New York City commissioner Keechant Sewell.
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. pic.twitter.com/uOXliUvoJ7
— Commissioner Sewell (@NYPDPC) April 13, 2022
The arrest comes hours after law enforcement officials said they linked a gun found at the scene to James. The 9mm Glock was bought in 2011 in Ohio, investigators said.
They also said the gas mask used by the suspect at the scene was purchased on eBay. However, an eBay spokesperson has not confirmed the purchase.
Police believe James rented a U-Haul truck before the shooting. The truck was recovered in Brooklyn on Tuesday.
Frank will face a federal charge for terrorist and violent attacks on a mass transportation system. He will be arraigned in Brooklyn and could face up to life in prison.
Authorities were examining social media videos in which the 62-year-old decried the United States as a racist place awash in violence and sometimes railed against the city’s mayor, Eric Adams.
In one YouTube video uploaded Monday, James reportedly said he thought about killing people who hurt him, CNN reported. At least 10 people were wounded in Tuesday's shooting. Numerous others were injured during the commotion.
The FBI is still encouraging anyone with information to come forward. They can contact the FBI at 1-800-777-TIPS.