Man arrested in Brooklyn subway attack, charged with terror

The man accused in the shooting of 10 people on a Brooklyn subway has been arrested and charged with a federal terrorism offense

The man accused of shooting 10 people on a Brooklyn subway train was arrested on April 13 and charged with a federal terrorism offence after a daylong manhunt and a tipster’s call led police to him on a Manhattan street.

Frank R. James, 62, was taken into custody about 30 hours after the carnage on a rush-hour train, which left five victims in critical condition and people around the city on edge.

“My fellow New Yorkers, we got him,” Mayor Eric Adams said.

Mr. James was awaiting arraignment on a charge that pertains to terrorist or other violent attacks against mass transit systems and carries a sentence of up to life in prison, Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said.

In recent months, Mr. James railed in online videos about racism and violence in the U.S. and about his experiences with mental health care in New York City, and he had criticised Mr. Adams’ policies on mental health and subway safety. But the motive for the subway attack remains unclear, and there is no indication that Mr. James had ties to terror organisations, international or otherwise, Mr. Peace said.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether Mr. James, who is from New York but has lived recently in Philadelphia and Milwaukee, has an attorney or anyone else who can speak for him. A sign taped to the door of Mr. James’ Milwaukee apartment asks that all mail be delivered to a post office box.

As terrified riders fled the attack, Mr. James apparently hopped another train — the same one many were steered to for safety, police said. He got out at the next station, disappearing into the nation’s most populous city. Police launched a massive effort to find him, releasing his name and issuing cellphone alerts.