10 People Shot In New York City Subway; NYPD Names Person Of Interest –

Authorities are still searching for the gunman after 10 people were injured on a train on the New York City subway on Tuesday morning during rush hour and more than a dozen people were injured in the collision.

Police found a U-Haul van connected to the attack and named Frank James, who rented the car, as the affected person. Police said they did not know if 62-year-old James was involved in the attack, but he said he rented the van in Philadelphia. Police urged the public to release any information on his whereabouts.

Authorities did not arrest him Tuesday night and offered a $ 50,000 reward for the information that led to his arrest. They said the reason for the shooting was unknown.

“Obviously, this person boarded the train and intended to use violence,” New York Police Commissioner Kichant Sewell said.

Sewell said at a press conference tonight that the suspect, a man wearing a construction vest and gray hoodie, was wearing a gas mask while waiting for a Manhattan subway train to enter the 36th Street Station in the Sunset Park area of ​​Brooklyn. , Which connects several subway lines. The suspect fired two smoke grenades before firing at people on the train and railroad.

Ten people died, five of them in critical but stable condition. thirteen Other people were injured while fleeing or inhaling smoke, said James Esig, NYPD chief investigator.

“We’re really lucky that it’s not significantly worse than it is,” Sevel said. “We know this incident is a cause of serious concern for New Yorkers. We cannot lose a victim in this city.” We will use all our resources to dig up the ongoing victims. of New York City. “

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said it would double the number of police officers patrolling the subway. He added that the scourge of gun violence remains an American problem that requires extensive political action.

“We witnessed an act of violence and evil in the heart of Brooklyn that made the N train into a war zone,” Adams said. “Thanks to the quick thinking of the MTA crew and the courage and cooperation of the passengers, lives were saved.”

A 9mm semi-automatic Glock pistol was found at the train station after the shooting and police said they also found 33 bullets and two explosive smoke grenades, fuel, fireworks and a hatch.

Investigators found James after he found the key to the U-Haul van In the collection of items on the subway, they believe, was connected to the shoot. The van was found Tuesday afternoon, about five blocks from the subway station, where the suspect allegedly entered about 5 miles from Brooklyn 36th Street Station. I also saw a credit card in James ’name.

Investigators are also investigating reports that James has posted dozens of angry tirades on YouTube over the past few months. The videos depict race, violence and current events, including Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. In a video released last month, James appeared to be angry with Adams and criticized the mayor’s public safety policies on the subway system.

The incident is not being investigated as terrorism, Sewell said, and the suspect’s motivation is unknown. “We’re not excluding anyone,” he added.

Authorities did not immediately release any surveillance footage on the man. Speaking to local radio station WCBS 880, Adams told Adams that “damage” to the camera system was hindering the investigation at the 36th Street subway stop.

Photographer Derek French captured a chaotic scene of riders licking pools of blood on a subway platform. He said he was just boarding the R train when one of the victims ran into the subway.

“I saw the victims lying with two citizens treating them,” French told HuffPost. “Everything [victims] They talked, but I can say I was shocked.

He said citizens trying to offer medical care did not need their help, so he was “skeptical” when he heard from the first interviewee that the victim should be rescued.

“I and a few other citizens wanted to help as much as possible by providing medical assistance to the victims before help arrived,” French said.

Juliana Foundation, WNYC Audio Engineer, Told the Gothamista He was walking on the N train when he heard gunshots and saw the next vehicle filled with smoke.

“The reaction from the passengers was horrible as they tried to remove something that was happening in the back of the train,” the foundation said. “None of us in front of the train knew what’s going on.”

The doors between the vehicles were closed, the foundation said, and people “fell” to escape from his car door.

Another witness, Yves Montano, He told CNN That he heard, in his mind, the fireworks on the N train as it slowly stopped at the station.

“There was a gentleman on the train, he tried to open this door and eventually opened it, but the other door was locked to get into the second car,” Montano said. The people on the other side who tried to help open the door were unsuccessful.

MTA chairman Jano Liber applauded the quick action of passers -by.

“I was on 4th Avenue on 9/11 and saw New Yorkers come back from that tragedy,” Liber said. Said at the press conference. “I saw New Yorkers working together, vendors coming out and giving water to people. It’s the same thing we see on the platform today. We see New Yorkers in a difficult situation, in an emergency, helping each other, it’s subway passengers, it’s New Yorkers.

“New Yorkers are incredibly resilient,” he added.

“We’re tired of reading headlines about crimes,” New York Governor Katie Hochul (D) said at a press conference with other federal, state and citizen officials.

NYPD officials said last week that citywide shootings in the first three months of the year were higher than last year. Crime was a big issue during last fall’s mayoral election; Center Democrat Adams vowed not to cut police budgets amid progressive push for police reform. After becoming mayor, Adams reintroduced specialized civilian clothing in relation to past police brutality.

Sebastian Murdoch contributed to this report.