New York subway mass shooter pleads guilty to 10 counts of committing a terrorist attack

According to the Department of Justice, James was charged with one count for each gunshot victim and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of his attack. After initially claiming to be innocent last May, he finally admitted to the crimes.

During the attack, James opened fire and injured 10 people on a crowded subway train in Brooklyn,

The plea was entered before United States District Judge William F. Kuntz, II. When sentenced, James is expected to face life in prison.

"On the morning of April 12, 2022, Frank James cold-bloodedly shot innocent New Yorkers traveling on the subway in Brooklyn, and brought terror to our great city. James’s crimes of violence have been met with swift justice," said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace. "James's admission of guilt to all eleven counts of the superseding indictment acknowledges the terror and pain he caused. This guilty plea is an important step towards holding James fully accountable and helping the victims of the defendant’s violence and our great city heal."

According to The Post Millennial's Andy Ngo, James, 63, is a black nationalist extremist.

On his social media pages, Ngo discovered posts promoting Black Lives Matter, the far-left black nationalist group Black Liberation Army, and the black nationalist religious faction Nation of Islam. Some of the extremist views espoused by individuals within these groups involve anti-white and anti-Semitic hatred.

"As described in court filings, the defendant set off a smoke bomb in a New York City subway car and then fired a handgun more than 30 times, striking ten innocent passengers," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. "Today's guilty plea demonstrates that the Justice Department will work relentlessly to hold accountable those who engage in mass violence and terrorize our communities."

FBI Assistant Director in Charge Driscoll also released a statement.

"Frank James, as he admitted today, deliberately planned and carried out an attack of terror on everyday New Yorkers. The FBI's JTTF and our law enforcement partners remain ever vigilant in our efforts to protect our city, and we will ensure those willing to commit acts of terror face the consequences of their actions," Driscoll said.

According to the DOJ, the investigation revealed that the attack was the result of "substantial planning."

"Beginning as early as 2017, James began purchasing items he could use in an attack, including smoke grenades, ammunition, weapons, and his disguise. In the months leading up to his attack, James conducted internet searches for 'MTA,' 'New York,' 'transit,' 'stops on the N train,' and '311 kings highway brooklyn ny,' which is near where James parked his rented U-Haul van before entering the subway," the department said.

"The defendant also recorded and posted videos online foreshadowing his plans, including stating that 'if you hear the name Frank James on the news, if something happens to a Frank James that's sixty-something years old, chances are that's me," the DOJ added.