“The accused allegedly carried out a heinous and premeditated attack on ordinary New Yorkers during their morning subway journey,” Peace said in a statement. “All New Yorkers have a right to expect to be safe as they travel throughout our great city and use our vital transportation systems.” The timing of James’ appearance in federal court will be confirmed Thursday morning, according to U.S. Attorney General John Marjouli. James had been described as a “person of interest” by the New York Police Department after his belongings, including a key of a rented U-Haul, were found at the scene. He was arrested on suspicion of shooting on Wednesday and the city issued an emergency warning to residents saying James was “wanted” and was seeking advice. The 62-year-old called the Crime Stoppers police hotline Wednesday to tell authorities he was at a McDonald’s in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, two law enforcement sources told CNN. The call was dropped a few moments later and was followed by a 911 call from another person who said he had located James, one of the two sources told CNN. Police responded to McDonald’s and did not find James, sources told CNN, but shortly afterwards, police met a passerby who marked James, a senior law enforcement official, the source said. Arrested without incident. “Like all New Yorkers, I am deeply grateful that the suspect in yesterday’s subway attack was arrested and grateful to law enforcement and every first responder whose heroic efforts helped New York respond to this horrific incident,” she said. New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Wednesday. “My heart goes out to all those injured, their loved ones and the entire Sunset Park community.” CNN contacted James’s federal lawyer for comment.
Filming began on the way to the station
The shooting – which began on a subway train as it approached 36th Street in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood during Tuesday morning commute – left at least 29 people with injuries ranging from gunshot wounds to smoke inhalation. Five remained in hospital since Wednesday afternoon. The gunman fired at least 33 shots and struck 10 people, according to NYPD chief of staff James Essig. Officials said none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening. James first boarded subway train N at Kings Highway Station at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Essig said. Hourari Benkada, 27, who was shot in the back of the knee, said he had boarded the last wagon of train N and sat next to a man with a bag who appeared to be wearing an MTA public transport vest. The man dropped a “smoke bomb”, he said, and the passengers tried to flee as the man started firing. The shootings began about 20 seconds after the train left 59th Street and felt like it had lasted almost two minutes, Benkada said. After allegedly opening fire on the train, James got off at 36th Street Station, boarded an R train along the platform and went to the 25th Street stop, Esig said. Less than an hour later, he was spotted boarding the subway at 7th Avenue and 9th Street, about 1.5 miles away, Essig added. The following photo gallery contains graphic images. The discretion of the viewer is recommended.
The evidence led investigators to James, officials say
Evidence found by investigators led them to suspect James of being shot, police said Wednesday. Authorities at the scene found a 9mm Glock pistol, three rounds of ammunition, two smoke grenades, two unexploded ordnance, an ax and the keys to a U-Haul van, Essig said. The gun found at the scene was purchased by James in Ohio in 2011, according to Essig. A credit card used to rent U-Haul was also found, two law enforcement sources told CNN. Two officials told CNN they believe the gun was blocked during the shooting. The U-Haul van was rented by James, police said, and was discovered by police near Kings Highway Station after being cleared by the NYPD bomb team. Surveillance video showed James leaving the truck Tuesday morning, according to a criminal complaint. A jacket made of neon, which had been dumped on the subway platform, had James with a receipt for a storage unit in Philadelphia, the complaint states. Federal prosecutors believe he visited the warehouse full of ammunition and more weapons the night before Tuesday’s attack, according to court documents. A search of the storage facility revealed additional ammunition and “a threaded 9mm pistol barrel that allows the installation of a silencer or suppressor.” According to the complaint, law enforcement officers carried out a search warrant in a Philadelphia apartment, authorities believe that James rented for 15 days from March 28 and found “an empty magazine for a Glock pistol, a teaser, a large rifle case. capacity and a blue smoke box. “ Investigators found no other weapons or explosives in the van, two law enforcement officials said. Officials said it appeared James may have been sleeping in the vehicle. A license plate reader said they spotted the truck moving over the Verrazzano Bridge from Staten Island in Brooklyn around 4 a.m. Tuesday. Authorities also monitored the purchase of a gas mask for James through an eBay account, two officials said. The motive has not yet been determined, officials said. James has also been linked to a number of adventurous videos posted on a racist and semi-racist YouTube channel, which recorded his trip from Wisconsin to the Northeast in a series of videos in recent weeks. CNN’s Sonia Moghe, Eric Levenson, Travis Caldwell, Rob Frehse, Paul P. Murphy, Chris Hippensteel, Clare Duffy, Richard Davis, Sharif Paget, Caroll Alvarado, Nicole Chavez, Alaa Elassar, Amir Vera, Jason Hanna, Peter Nickeas, Yon Pomren, Elizabeth Wolfe and Chris Boyette contributed to this report.
