‘Person of interest’ in relation to NY subway shootings now a suspect

over 3 years in The Irish Times

A man who was identified on Tuesday as a “person of interest” by police in relation to the shootings on a subway train in Brooklyn is now considered a suspect, New York mayor Eric Adams has said.
Police in New York had earlier said they were looking for a 62-year-old man named Frank James, who had addresses in Philadelphia and in Wisconsin. Keys to a van he had rented were found at the scene of the shootings.
In a video posted last month, Mr James identified Mr Adams and criticised his recently announced public safety policies targeting homeless people in the New York subway.
Security around the mayor, who is currently isolating after contracting Covid-19, has been strengthened.
Mr Adams said it was believed that the masked gunman who carried out the attack on the subway train on Tuesday morning had been acting alone.
Glock handgun
Police said the gunman, who had been a passenger on the subway train, had fired 33 shots from a 9mm Glock handgun after he released two smoke canisters into the carriage.
New York police commissioner Keechant Sewell said 10 people were hit by gunfire. A further 13 were injured trying to leave the scene or suffered smoke inhalation. Officials said that none had suffered life-threatening injuries.
The incident took place as the train approached the 36th Street station in the Sunset Park neighbourhood of Brooklyn.
Authorities in New York are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the gunman.
Law enforcement agencies are urging people to send them video footage from the crime scene to assist the manhunt after it was revealed that at least one camera at the subway station failed to capture anything during the attack due to a “malfunction”.

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