Brooklyn subway shooting suspect Frank James may once have lived in single-room occupancy hotel in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood

CHICAGO (CBS Chicago/CBS New York) — CBS 2 has confirmed New York City subway shooting suspect Frank James, who was arrested Wednesday, may have spent two years living at a single-room occupancy hotel in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood for a couple of years.

CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey confirmed that a man named Frank James lived at the Aragon Arms Hotel, 4917 N. Kenmore Ave., from April 2015 to March 2017. He always paid his bills on time, but was evicted in 2017 due to conduct.

Police said James, 62, attacked straphangers in the tunnel between 59th and 36th Street N Train stations in the Sunset Park neighborhood in Brooklyn, shooting 10 people and injuring 13 more.

Police say when the train stopped in the tunnel, a man in a gas mask unleashed smoke bombs and unloaded 33 shots. Fortunately, every single victim is expected to be OK, and many have already left the hospital. 

Police say James left behind a bag with a hatchet, two gas canisters and a single automatic handgun that apparently jammed, perhaps saving lives. He is also connected to some concerning social media posts and uploaded videos to YouTube in March when he spoke about crimes in city subways. 

CBS 2 also confirmed Tuesday night that James also had ties to Milwaukee. He had most recently lived in Philadelphia, but his name is on a mailbox at a specific Milwaukee address with a forwarding address to a P.O. box. CBS 2’s Jermont Terry reported James lived in the Milwaukee duplex as recently as last month.

It was not clear Tuesday night when James’ request to have all his mail forwarded first popped up. But on social media, James posted several videos on various topics – including what the NYPD called “concerning posts” about New York City.

One video places James in Milwaukee and traveling through Chicago just three weeks ago – as he likely drove back to the East Coast. That video is dated Sunday, March 20.

“And so as I leave the state of Wisconsin, about to be back in the state of Illinois, all I can say is good riddance,” James says on the video.

He later reports on the video that he is in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with the goal of getting to Philadelphia the following Tuesday.

We’ve also learned that James purchased “fireworks products” from the Phantom Fireworks Showroom in Caledonia, Wisconsin, which is just outside Racine. The business confirmed that the contents of the “bag with fireworks” left behind at the scene were likely purchased at their store by James on June 21, 2021.

NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said Wednesday that James was arrested at St. Mark’s Place and First Avenue in the East Village section of Manhattan, after police received a Crime Stoppers tip. 

“My fellow New Yorkers, we got him,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

“Thirty-three shots, but less than 30 hours later… we got him,” Adams added. 

NYPD officials said James had previously been arrested nine times in New York and three times in New Jersey. 

Officials say if convicted, James faces life in prison.