Frank James, a suspect in the Brooklyn subway shooting, got into a car in front of a police station in New York, New York, USA, April 13, 2022. REUTERS / Andrew Kelly
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May 7 (Reuters) – A U.S. grand jury on Saturday charged a man with terrorism and other charges stemming from a shooting and smoke bomb attack on April 12 that injured 23 people on the New York subway.
The indictment in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York accused 62-year-old Frank James of terrorist attack and other violence against a mass transportation system plus charges of firing a firearm during a crime of violence.
If convicted of terrorism, James could be sentenced to life in prison.
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Lawyers representing James did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
James is accused of setting off smoke bombs and opening fire on a New York subway car in Brooklyn, killing 10 people with gunfire and launching a round-the-clock chase.
Thirteen others were injured in the frantic rush to escape the smoky train, police said.
He was detained about 30 hours later in lower Manhattan, about 8 miles (13 km) from the scene of the attack, after authorities established his whereabouts with the help of residents’ councils, some of whom posted observations on social media, police said. .
James, born in the Bronx with recent addresses in Philadelphia and Milwaukee, was previously charged with a criminal complaint filed by law enforcement for the attack. The more formal indictment came after prosecutors presented evidence to a grand jury.
Authorities accuse James of dropping two smoke bombs on a subway car moments before opening fire on other passengers with a semi-automatic pistol. The gun, purchased in 2011, was later found at the scene, along with three extended ammunition stores, a torch, an ax, a bag of fireworks and a container of gasoline, according to police and court documents.
The attack was followed by a series of violent crimes that angered passengers in America’s largest metropolitan transit system, including cases of passengers being pushed onto subway rails by train platforms.
The motive remained unclear. An FBI cell cites a number of YouTube videos posted by James focusing on statements to the mayor of New York about homelessness and the subway system.
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Report by Daniel Trot; Edited by David Gregorio
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