Massive Manhunt Underway: NYPD Identifies but Has not yet Found Suspected Subway Person-of-Interest Frank James

By Yehudit Garmaise
Hundreds of detectives are searching for Frank James, who has been
identified as a person of interest who rented that U-Haul that was found by
police at 4th Street and Kings Highway after the van’s keys were found in the
subway, Assistant Special Agent to FBI’s NY office Mike Driscoll, said at a
press conference Tuesday night.
Also recovered at the two scenes: the subway and in the U-Haul: a 9mm
Glock-17 handgun, 15 bullets, five bullet fragments, a hatchet, gasoline, four
smoke grenades two of which were detonated, an extended magazine, a hobby fuse,
a rolling cart, and a bag believed to be fireworks, reported NYPD Police
Commissioner Keechant Sewell, who added that the suspect threw down the handgun
in frustration, after it thankfully jammed.
“We are truly fortunate that this was not significantly worse than it
was,” reported Sewell, who continues to ask New Yorkers who have video footage
or pictures of the crime, any information about James or the renter of the
U-Haul to help the NYPD find the perpetrator by calling 1 (800) 577-TIPS.
“We expect the process to be a long one, and we are tracking down all
possible leads,” Sewell said.
James, who is still at large, is known to have addresses in Philadelphia
and Wisconsin, and was heard mumbling the name of Mayor Eric Adams, who
remains in quarantine with Covid, but whose security has been tightened and
increased for extra protection against a violent madman, said NYPD Keechant
Sewell, who added that “all of the NYPD’s resources are working this to find
this perpetrator for whom $50,000 in reward money in offered to anyone who
finds him.
Sewell reported that 10 New Yorkers were shot and 13 were injured in the
chaotic rush to get out of the train after a man, who was sitting in the back
corner of a Manhattan-bound N train opened a cannister that filled the subway
car with smoke, before opening fire 33 times on his fellow passengers: shooting
10 and injuring 13 others, who were hurt as they rushed to get out of the
terrifying and violence scene.
Of those who were shot, seven were men, and three were women, and all
the victims were immediately transported to NYU Langone Hospital, Methodist
Hosptial, and Maimonides Medical Center, where Gov. Kathy Hochul will tonight
visit the five of the patients who were injured on the subway.
Thankfully, none of the victims’ injuries appear to be life-threatening,
Sewell said, who said that police investigators do not know the motive of the
suspect, who is a heavy-set, 64 year-old-man 5’5 African-American male, who was
wearing an orange-green worker similar to those worn by construction and
transit workers.
“We still do not know the suspect’s motivations, but we know he boarded
the train and was intent on violence,” Sewell said.
Mayor Adams, who spoke from Gracie Mansion, said that a massive manhunt
has been launched by the NYPD, the FBI, the ATF, and other agencies who will
find the perpetrator.
Adams said that he will not lose sight of the innocent victims in New
York City, who are continually preyed upon by those who seek to terrify and
harm them.
In an earlier press conference, the mayor announced that New York City
will double the number of NYPD officers on the subway system.
“This is terror,” said Mayor Adams, although Sewell had said earlier
said the crime is not being investigated as terrorism, although she would not
“rule anything out.”
“Someone attempted to terrorize our system,” Mayor Adams said.