An intense manhunt is underway for the gunman who injured more than two dozen people in a shooting on a New York City subway train in Brooklyn on Tuesday and set off smoke grenades.
Frank James, 62, has been identified by police as a person of interest, with officials posting photos of him on Twitter in an attempt to find him.
Authorities recovered a U-Haul key at the scene and later discovered a rental van in Brooklyn, New York Police Department (NYPD) Chief of Detectives James Essig told reporters on Tuesday.
The vehicle was rented in Philadelphia and James, who reportedly had addresses in the city as well as Wisconsin, is believed to have rented it, Essig noted, adding that the subway and U-Haul van crime scenes were “very active” and were still being processed.
“At this time we still do not know the suspect’s motivation,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said during an evening press conference Tuesday. “Clearly this individual boarded the train and was intent on violence.”
She added that the attack is not being treated as an act of terrorism.
A $50,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the gunman, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). James is described as being roughly 5’5” tall and weighing 170 pounds. The suspect was said to be wearing a construction vest, gray hooded sweatshirt and a gas mask during the attack
“We are doing everything we can to catch the man responsible for this heinous attack on our riders,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said in a statement. “New Yorkers know that if they see something, they should say something, especially in this case. Justice must be served.”