What Frank James Was Doing Ahead of Brooklyn Subway Shooting

As the suspect in the subway shooting in Brooklyn remained at large as of Wednesday morning, new details have emerged about where Frank James was leading up to the Tuesday incident.

On Wednesday morning, the New York Police Department officially declared James the suspect in the rush-hour shooting that left 10 people with gunshot wounds and another 19 people injured.

The 62-year-old man has addresses in both Wisconsin and Philadelphia, according to police. It is believed he drove to New York City in a rented U-Haul from Philadelphia sometime over the last several days.

Here's a timeline of what we know:

June 21, 2021: An individual by the name of Frank James of Milwaukee purchased firework products from Phantom Fireworks Showroom outside of Racine, Wisconsin, the company confirmed on Wednesday.

Brooklyn Subway Shooting Timeline
Authorities continue to look for Frank James, who has been named the suspect in Tuesday's subway shooting. Police and emergency responders gather at the site of the shooting at the 36 St subway station on... Spencer Platt/Getty

Phantom Firework officials said that four of the items purchased appeared to be the same items recovered from the scene but that there is no video surveillance of the purchases made last summer. A receipt shows the individual spent $93.

"As a result, Phantom Fireworks cannot confirm the purchaser and the person of interest are the same individual," the company said. "Phantom Fireworks is cooperating with the investigating authorities."

January 25, 2022: James posts a Youtube video criticizing New York City Mayor Eric Adams about his plan to end gun violence.

February 23, 2022: James slammed Adams in another YouTube video over the mayor's efforts in combatting homelessness on subways.

"Mr. Mayor, I'm a victim of your mental health program," James said. "I'm 63 now full of hate, full of anger, and full of bitterness."

"Eric Adams, Eric Adams: What are you doing, brother? What's happening with this homeless situation," he said, referring to the subway. "Every car I went to was loaded with homeless people. It was so bad, I couldn't even stand. I had to keep moving from car to car."

March 1, 2022: A third video showed James criticizing Adams over his recent public safety plan for the city's subway system.

March 20, 2022: James is seen driving in another video posted online, saying that he was leaving Wisconsin for Philadelphia.

"As I leave the state of Wisconsin, about to be back in the state of Illinois, all I can say is good riddance and I will never be back again alive," James said.

March 25, 2022: James arrives in Philadelphia, where he had rented a place to stay, after making stops in Fort Wayne, Indiana; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Newark, New Jersey, according to videos he posted to YouTube documenting his path.

April 11, 2022: James rented a van from a U-Haul store in Philadelphia with a Wisconsin license, company records obtained by CNN show.

According to the reservation, the van was supposed to be rented for two days.

In his latest uploaded video from that day, James said he's "wanted to watch people die right in front of my f***king face immediately," but that he was stopped by thoughts of having to go to prison for killing someone.

April 12, 2022: Around 4 a.m., a license plate reader on the Verrazzano Bridge detected the rented van driving into Brooklyn from Staten Island.

Video footage shows James entering the Kings Highway subway in the Gravesend, roughly a half-hour commute from the scene of the incident, around 6:15 a.m.

Around 8:45 a.m., James, who was wearing a gas mask, a green construction vest and a construction helmet, threw two smoke canisters on the platform of the 36th Street stop in Sunset Park.

He then fired 33 rounds from a Glock 99mm semi-automatic handgun before fleeing the scene, according to police.

Police recovered the gun, along with three extended-ammunition magazines, a hatchet, fireworks and a container of gasoline at the scene.

A set of keys to the U-Haul van were also left behind, which led investigators to James.

April 13, 2022: James is named the suspect in the shooting a day after authorities described him as a "person of interest." No information was immediately released on what evidence changed his status.

Shortly before 2 p.m. James was arrested by the NYPD in Manhattan.

Update 04/13/21 2:38 pm. This story was updated with additional information.

Update 04/13/21 2:43 pm. This story was updated to include the update that Frank James had been arrested in Manhattan's East Village neighborhood.

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About the writer


Katherine Fung is a Newsweek reporter based in New York City. Her focus is reporting on U.S. and world politics. ... Read more

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