New York (AFP) – A 64-year-old man who set off smoke bombs and fired shots on a crowded New York subway train in 2022 was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for terrorist acts.
As demanded by the prosecution, a federal judge sentenced Frank James to “10 concurrent life sentences in prison, plus 10 years to run consecutively,” the Brooklyn federal prosecutor’s office said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
During morning rush hour on April 12, 2022, James — wearing a gas mask, a yellow hard hat and an orange construction worker’s vest — set off two smoke bombs in a crowded metro car in Brooklyn before firing his gun multiple times, causing widespread panic in a city still traumatized by the attacks of September 11, 2001.
There were no deaths, which authorities said was a miracle, but 10 people were wounded by gunfire while others were hurt in the ensuing panic.
“Passengers in the subway car included children on their way to school, families, pregnant women, college students and hard-working New Yorkers heading to work,” prosecutors said in their statement.
“Many passengers had fled countries at war and came to New York to find security and economic opportunities,” they said in a document last month demanding a life sentence.
Photos showed extensive bloodstains inside the subway car and streaks of blood on the platform of the 36th Street station in the Sunset Park neighborhood.
James was arrested without resistance in Manhattan after a manhunt lasting more than 24 hours.
After initially proclaiming his innocence, he pleaded guilty to terrorist acts on January 3, 2023, during a hearing where he explained he had fired to cause serious physical harm and that he knew he could have killed people, even if it wasn’t his intention.
Citing their client’s mental health problems, James’ lawyers, who had called for an 18-year prison term, said they would appeal.
Before his sentencing Thursday, James expressed his regret over the attack, while criticizing the lack of support for people who are poor and suffering from mental health problems, according to media reports.
James was known to police and ran a YouTube channel where he delivered long political tirades, as well as criticizing New York’s mayor.
