62-Year-Old “Person Of Interest” In New York Shooting: 10 Developments

Frank R James, 62, was named a “person of interest” in the shooting incident. He was wearing a neon-orange vest and a grey-coloured sweatshirt and had rented a van, keys to which were found at the crime scene. He has not yet been identified as a suspect.

The subway attacker wore a gas mask before setting off two smoke bombs that dispensed smoke throughout the subway car. He then shot multiple passengers as the train pulled into the 36th Street station.

In addition to the 10 gunshot victims, 13 others were injured as they tried to get out of the station or suffered smoke inhalation, according to officials.

Later at the scene, investigators found a Glock handgun, three extended magazines, two detonated smoke grenades, two non-detonated smoke grenades and a hatchet.

Police said the incident in Brooklyn was not being investigated as an act of terrorism, with no indication of a motive at this stage. None of the injuries was considered life-threatening.

Verified video footage posted on social media showed the train pulling into the 36th Street station, and smoke billowing out the doors as passengers rushed off, some apparently injured.

President Joe Biden paid tribute to the first responders and civilians who “didn’t hesitate to help their fellow passengers,” and said his team was in close contact with New York officials.

The incident came just a day after President Biden announced new gun control measures, increasing restrictions on so-called “ghost guns,” the difficult-to-trace weapons that can be assembled at home.

Mass casualty shootings happen with relative frequency in the United States, where firearms are involved in approximately 40,000 deaths a year, including suicides, according to the Gun Violence Archive website.

Shootings in New York City have risen this year, and the uptick in violent gun crime has been a central focus for Mayor Eric Adams since he took office in January. Through April 3, shooting incidents rose to 296 from 260 during the same period last year, according to police statistics.