A manhunt continues Wednesday morning for the person of interest authorities have identified following Tuesday’s mass shooting on the subway at 36th Street Station in Brooklyn.
The attack left at least 29 people shot or otherwise injured, shaking a city already unnerved by a sharp rise in crime.
A “mumbling” lone gunman in a reflective vest and a gas mask threw smoke bombs into a subway car in Brooklyn and then began shooting at the height of the morning rush, with the manhunt continuing into the evening as new details emerged in the probe.
None of the injuries were considered life-threatening. Authorities said a magazine jammed in the gun, which possibly saved lives.
Tuesday evening, the authorities identified 62-year-old Frank R. James as a person of interest in the investigation and released a photo at an NYPD briefing led by Commissioner Keechant Sewell.
While the cameras in the station were inoperable, law enforcement officials were able to get an image of the suspect from a bystander’s cell phone video.
The NYPD located a U-Haul van in Kings Highway in Gravesend believed to be connected to the shooting.
James rented this U-Haul in Philadelphia and the keys to that van were found in the shooter’s possessions left behind at the subway station, NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said. He added, however, that investigators do not know if James has any connection to the subway shooting. The U-Haul has since been towed.
Sewell also revealed Tuesday night that additional security will be added to Mayor Eric Adams’ detail due to social media posts from the person of interest that seem to be highly critical of the mayor for his homeless policy.
There is a $50,000 reward for the apprehension of James, who police say had addresses in Philadelphia and Wisconsin.
“It’s still active. I was briefed earlier this morning, we are still pursuing our person of interest,” Adams told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. “We’re asking all New Yorkers, if they see something say something – or do something – and that’s notify local authorities or call our hotline.”
Adams also said officials are considering the use of state-of-the-art metal detectors in the city’s subway system moving forward.
“It’s not the traditional metal detectors that you see at airports,” said Adams. “Technology has advanced so much. When you think about it, we have not advanced with technology. The cities… when it comes down to protecting the citizens better, I’m open to all technology.”
Essig added that between the 59th and 36th Street stations, the suspect opened up and tossed to the ground two smoke grenades and started to fire his semiautomatic weapon. The gunman then discharged the Glock 33 times.
Also recovered at the scene was a 9 mm Glock semi-automatic handgun, three extended magazines, a hatchet, gasoline, four smoke grenades (two detonated and two undetonated) and bag of consumer grade fireworks, as well as a credit card authorities say was used to rent the U-Haul. They say the gun was not stolen.
“At this time we still do not know the suspect’s motivation. Clearly this individual boarded the train and was intent on violence,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at an evening press conference.
“This perpetrator dropped those smoke cans, if that’s what they are, and shot around, and then exited from that point,” retired NYC Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said. “He’s not going to stay on there if there’s smoke on there, even if he has the filter mask.”
