‘Doomsday Prophet’ Convicted for Terrorizing NYC Subway in Violent Attack

UPDATE


Oct 5, 2023 4:40 PM CDT

A judge sentenced Frank James, the man who sprayed a New York City subway car with bullets, to life in prison after tearful and angry victims shared their ongoing trauma in court. James, 64, had pleaded guilty earlier to terrorism charges. One victim, a 51-year-old man, expressed his post-traumatic stress disorder and thoughts of suicide. Another man struggled to make sense of the incident, while a 21-year-old man broke down sobbing in court. James expressed remorse but criticized the mental health system, claiming it had failed people of color like him. The judge, William Kuntz, condemned James’ actions as “pure evil.”

Jan 3, 2023 5:39 PM CST

Frank James, who opened fire on a Brooklyn subway train in a rush-hour attack that shocked New York City, pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges. The incident occurred on April 12, 2022, and left 10 passengers wounded. James, also known as the “Prophet of Doom,” admitted to pulling the trigger on the Manhattan-bound train between stations. Prosecutors are seeking a decades-long prison sentence for James, who wore a beige jail jumpsuit and black-rimmed glasses during his court appearance. He claimed he only intended to cause serious injury, not death. James has been incarcerated in a federal lockup near the site of the attack.

James pleaded guilty to all 11 counts in his indictment, which included 10 counts of terrorist attack against a mass transit system, one for each wounded passenger. He had previously vowed to contest the charges. Several victims of the shooting were present during James’ guilty plea but declined to speak to reporters. Assistant US Attorney Sara Winik stated during the hearing that James had “intended to inflict maximum damage” during the peak of rush hour. Prosecutors detailed how James set off smoke grenades and fired random shots within the train, injuring passengers as it traveled through Brooklyn. Disguised as a maintenance worker, James escaped amidst the chaos and initiated a 30-hour citywide manhunt before contacting the police to surrender.

Prior to the shooting, James, an African American, posted numerous videos online in which he expressed his frustrations about race, violence, and his battles with mental illness. He occasionally referred to himself as the “Prophet of Doom” and decried the mistreatment of Black individuals. He once contemplated taking a gun and shooting people in a crowded New York City subway train, as seen in one of his videos. Prosecutors revealed that James had access to additional ammunition and gun-related items in a Philadelphia storage unit, suggesting he had the means to carry out more attacks. Before the shooting, James had been living in Milwaukee and Philadelphia. (Read more subway attack stories.)