Frank James, Suspect In Brooklyn Subway Mass Shooting With Ties To Philadelphia, Arrested In New York City
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Police confirm 62-year-old Frank James, the suspect in the Brooklyn mass subway shooting where 10 people were shot and more than a dozen others were injured, has been arrested.
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Police say James has ties to Philadelphia. He has addresses in both Philadelphia and Wisconsin.
Police say James fired numerous gunshots inside the N line subway car at the 36th Street and 4th Avenue subway station.
The truck police were searching for appears to be from a Philadelphia U-Haul location in Nicetown. Police believe James rented the van.
The keys to the van were found on the subway, according to authorities. New York Police Department Commissioner Keechant Sewell said authorities also found a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, extended magazines, a hatchet, and liquid they believe to be gasoline and a bag containing consumer grade fireworks and a hobby fuse.
According to rental agreements obtained by CNN, James rented the van using a Milwaukee license with a Milwaukee address. It was booked on April 6, picked up on April 11, and was supposed to be returned two days later.
Eyewitness News checked out two Philadelphia addresses that were associated with James. Those who answered the door, along with neighbors, say they do not know and have never met James.
Investigations from multiple jurisdictions are also reviewing YouTube videos apparently linked to James.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Investigators are asking anyone with information on James' whereabouts to contact them at 1-800-577-TIPS. There is a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Chopper 3 was over the U-Haul location on West Hunting Park Avenue on Tuesday.
Multiple sources connected to the investigation confirm NYPD detectives were at the U-Haul location late Tuesday afternoon reviewing rental agreements.
The truck was found by police in Brooklyn, but the back of the truck shows it's from Philadelphia.
In a statement, U-Haul told CBS3: "Law enforcement has alerted us to its search for a rental van and its possible connection to a suspect in today's incident in New York City. We are working closely with authorities to ensure they have any and all available information to meet their needs."
The FBI is now working with Philadelphia police to assist the NYPD.
Meanwhile, the mass shooting in New York has SEPTA police on high alert in our area. The SEPTA police chief says he's stepping up patrols and K-9 sweeps Tuesday as riders say they now have their guards up.
"Every time I'm out anywhere I'm always eyes peeled," Henry Roque said.
"This world is really a crazy world today," Kathleen Davis said.
SEPTA Transit Police had a visible presence outside the Market-Frankford Line at 13th and Market Streets this afternoon in Center City.
"We have additional people out on the system," SEPTA Transit Police Chief Thomas Nestel said.
Nestel says he's been in close communication with other law enforcement agencies to coordinate an increase in patrols.
"Philadelphia Police Department, University of Pennsylvania Police Department, Temple Police Department all contacted us, volunteered to do checks of stations in their jurisdiction and just to add to the number of people making sure that our riders and employees are safe," Nestel said.
SEPTA is also deploying its K-9 unit that is trained in detecting explosives.
"They're generally in vehicles. We've pulled them out of the vehicles and put them in major hubs," Nestel said.
As authorities investigate the shooting in New York, officials urge people to report suspicious activity. Doing that can be critically important to investigations, says former Philadelphia Deputy Police Commissioner Joe Sullivan.
"No one plays a larger role in keeping our transit system safe than the operating public. When you see someone or something that you don't think is right it probably isn't," Sullivan said.
The SEPTA Transit Watch app allows anyone to report suspicious activity on septa and request police.
CBS3's Ross DiMattei, Wakisha Bailey, Matt Petrillo, and Kerri Corrado contributed to this report.
