New York subway shooter sentenced to life in prison

BROOKLYN (CN) — Frank Robert James, the Bronx man who shot up a New York City subway last year, was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday by a federal judge in New York.

U.S. District Judge William Kuntz presided over the hearing, calling James’ actions “pure evil” after handing down a sentence of life in prison for all 10 counts plus an additional 10 years consecutively.

James, 64, fired more than 30 shots on the Manhattan-bound N train on April 12, 2022 as it pulled into the Sunset Park station in Brooklyn. Roughly two dozen people were hospitalized as a result, including 10 who suffered gunshot wounds and others who were injured because of smoke inhalation and panic.

This past January, James entered a guilty plea in Brooklyn federal court where he was also arraigned last month on a superseding indictment charging him with 10 counts of terrorism — one for each gunshot victim — and a single count of discharging a firearm during a violent crime.

James, who gave a statement during Thursday’s proceedings, said there’s no reasonable explanation for what he did but it was his way of “shining a light on the conditions that exist in city-provided services.”

A diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, James claimed the frustrations he felt from not receiving help with his mental illness, in addition to his treatment as a Black man, ultimately led him to shooting up the subway train.

“That drove me to crash my life into this city,” James said. “I hope no one follows my actions.”

James’ attorney, Mia Eisner-Grynberg with the Federal Defenders of New York, contested the sentence because of James’ diagnosed condition, adding that the 10 counts of life imprisonment were unnecessary.

“The government concluded that it is not enough for Mr. James to die once in prison,” Eisner-Grynberg said. “He must die 10 times and add another 10 years.”

Wearing a yellow hard hat and orange reflective jacket on the day of the shooting, James was described as looking like a construction or Metropolitan Authority worker. The hat and jacket were found discarded at the 36th Street station following the shooting.

Prior to the attack, James corralled the train passengers to the opposite end of the train car, first by saying the seats near him were wet and then by setting off a smoke grenade that caused passengers to flee to the other end of the car.

Five victims testified at Thursday’s sentencing hearing, with three appearing in person and two providing statements that were read aloud.

“I don’t know if you remember, but we greeted each other that morning,” one victim, identified as B.K., said.

The victims spoke of how they couldn’t breathe from the smoke, were horrified at the large amounts of blood they saw and still panic when they hear loud noises or think about taking the train.

“I realized we were all trapped, I realized we were in here with you and there was nothing we could do,” B.K. said.

Another victim, 22, whose statement was read aloud in court, said he was in college for two months before the attack. He was shot five times and has been in physical therapy for over a year.

When it first happened, he said he didn’t register he had been shot.

“But it wasn’t a dream, I was getting shot in both legs.”

The last victim to testify, L.C., criticized James for not receiving help for his mental illness sooner.

“You could have found help, how hard did you really look for it?” L.C. said. “I pray you get the help you need where you go.”

After the shooting, James’ hourlong, rambling videos on his now-deactivated YouTube account came to light in which he ranted about New York City Mayor Eric Adams, politics and violence. In one video, titled “DOMESTICATED AVERAGES,” he talks about his urge to be violent himself.

Federal agents say James fired a semiautomatic Glock 17 pistol with an extended magazine at his victims. Because of the magazine, the gun was able to fire bullets in rapid succession without taking time to reload.

Police later found James’ cellphone, bank cards in his name, a bag full of fireworks soaked in gasoline and a U-Haul key to a van he rented the day before. They also found a pistol barrel, targets, and ammunition used with an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, among other items, in his storage unit in Philadelphia.

In a news conference following the sentencing, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace commended the judge for the sentence.

“The impact and fear were felt beyond the direct victims in that subway car and station that morning,” Peace said. “The defendant terrorized the city at large.”

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