Frank James, the man responsible for a mass shooting on a New York City subway car in 2022, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
The 64-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to terrorism charges related to the April 12, 2022, incident in which he wounded 10 individuals aboard a Manhattan-bound train, according to AP.
Prosecutors argued James had thoroughly planned the attack to “inflict maximum damage.” In contrast, his defense requested a reduced 18-year sentence, suggesting he didn’t intend to kill and had a severe mental illness. Three individuals present when the attack occurred addressed the court during the sentencing. One of them, 21-year-old Fatim Gjeloshi, began recounting the traumatic event but was overcome with emotion and had to leave the courtroom, the outlet reported.
BREAKING: A man who wounded 10 people in a rush-hour subway shooting in New York City last year has been sentenced to life in prison. https://t.co/V3GFVl5wFa
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 5, 2023
On the day of the attack, James, disguised as a construction worker, set off smoke bombs and fired a slew of bullets at the passengers from a 9mm handgun. He allegedly waited until the train was moving between stations to carry out the attack. The victims’ ages ranged from 16 to 60. James calmly exited the subway station after the attack, AP reported, and evaded authorities for over a day. He was later apprehended in Manhattan’s East Village after turning himself in via a police tip line. (RELATED: Horrifying New Footage From Inside Subway Car Shows Passengers Fighting For Their Lives During Attack)
Prior to the attack, James, under the alias “Prophet of Doom,” posted numerous online videos discussing race, violence and his mental health struggles, according to AP.
“Mr. James is not evil. He is very, very ill,” Frank’s attorney, Mia Eisner-Grynberg, said during the hearing. She emphasized the defendant’s challenging upbringing in the Bronx and battles with alcoholism and paranoid schizophrenia, according to AP.
Prosecutors maintained James aimed to do the most amount of lethal damage by firing into the “center mass.” They argued it was due to luck and not his conscious choice that none of the victims were fatally injured, the outlet reported.
James has been detained without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center for 17 months since the attack.