New York Subway Shooting Suspect to Plead Guilty to Terrorism Charges

Reuters
By Reuters
December 22, 2022New York
share
New York Subway Shooting Suspect to Plead Guilty to Terrorism Charges
Suspect Frank James is escorted out of the 9th Precinct by police after being arrested for his connection to the mass shooting at the 36 St subway station in New York on April 13, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

NEW YORK—Frank James, the man accused of a shooting attack on the New York City subway in April 2022, told a court through his public defenders on Wednesday that he intended to plead guilty to federal terrorism charges.

James has been charged in an attack on April 12 that injured 23 riders on a Manhattan-bound N-train as it passed through Brooklyn during the morning rush-hour. All the victims survived the highly unusual attack on the largest transit system in the country.

This month, federal prosecutors filed new charges against James in the U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, including 10 counts of a terrorist attack and other violence against a mass transportation system.

Shortly before the attack, James was seen entering the subway system in Brooklyn, dressed in an orange reflective jacket and yellow hard hat. He let off a smoke canister in a crowded subway car before shooting at passengers as the crowded car entered a station, according to prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s office for New York’s Eastern District.

He fled in the mayhem, prosecutors said.

Police arrested him in lower Manhattan about five miles away from the attack following a 30-hour manhunt.

Since receiving the letter from James’ attorneys, Judge William Kuntz II has scheduled a change-of-plea hearing for Jan. 3. James faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

ntd newsletter icon
Sign up for NTD Daily
What you need to know, summarized in one email.
Stay informed with accurate news you can trust.
By registering for the newsletter, you agree to the Privacy Policy.
Comments