A 21-year-old security camera installer claims to have spotted and called the police on the Brooklyn subway shooting suspect prior to his arrest Wednesday, more than 24 hours after the attack.
Zack Dahnan, whom New York state Assembly member Yuh-Line Niou identified as an immigrant who speaks five different languages, held an impromptu press conference to discuss how he identified the suspect, 62-year-old Frank James, receiving fanfare from locals.
“He had a bag, was walking the sidewalk, and I saw him put the bag on the street like this, and I said to people, ‘Guys, get far from him. This guy is going to do something.’ People thought I was crazy, and I said, ‘Please trust me. This is the guy,'” he explained. “And thank God we caught him.”
James, the suspect, was apprehended Wednesday afternoon in the streets of New York City after police received a tip. Authorities did not disclose the name of the individual who sent them the tip. James is accused of throwing smoke grenades and opening fire upon passengers on a subway train, shooting 10. More than 20 people were wounded, with officials saying some received injuries related to smoke inhalation and panic, and all are expected to survive.
Dahnan said news of the shooting greatly disturbed him and made it difficult for him to sleep or focus on his work. He said he felt horrible for the victims of the rampage and expressed relief that the suspect has been detained.
Following his remarks, Dahnan was applauded by locals as a police car transported him away, presumably to collect the $50,000 reward authorities offered for information leading to Frank’s arrest.
“You guys don’t have to thank me because I did my pleasure. We have to catch these people. If we don’t catch these people, somebody’s got to do something,” he said.
Authorities named James as a person of interest hours after the shooting Tuesday and implored the public to help them track him down. Now that he is in custody, James faces a federal terrorism-related charge. He will be arraigned in federal court and faces up to life in prison. The arrest took place near St. Mark’s Place in Manhattan.
Prior to his arrest, James posted a slew of conspiracy-ridden videos on YouTube and even mused about committing violence. The motivation behind the attack is currently under investigation. James had nine prior arrests in New York and three prior arrests in New Jersey before Tuesday’s shooting.
Reporting from The Washington Examiner.
