Brooklyn subway shooting suspect in custody; Philadelphia man charged in fatal shooting of pregnant woman
THE RUNDOWN:
1. Brooklyn Subway Shooting: Suspect, who has ties to Philadelphia, in custody, officials say
NEW YORK - Frank R. James, the suspect in Tuesday's subway shooting in Brooklyn, who has ties to Philadelphia, was arrested on Wednesday without incident, police officials say.
In an NYPD briefing held Wednesday afternoon, officials announced that James, 62, faces a federal charge and if convicted he could be sentenced to life in prison.
Police say a person called in a Crime Stoppers tip reporting James at a McDonald's on the Lower East Side. According to police, he was not in the restaurant but was located in the area.
Authorities also say the gun used in the shooting was purchased in Wisconsin in 2011.
James has addresses in both Philadelphia and Wisconsin, according to investigators.
2. NYC Subway Shooting: Philadelphia police monitoring SEPTA, passengers urged to 'stay vigilant'
After dozens were injured during a shooting at a subway station in Brooklyn on Tuesday, Philadelphia police says the department is monitoring SEPTA stations.
PHILADELPHIA - Officials with the Philadelphia Police Department say they are monitoring SEPTA after Tuesday's shooting at a New York subway station left dozens injured.
According to authorities, the shooting happened during the height of the morning rush hour and began on a crowded subway train in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
At about 8:24 a.m., a man aboard a northbound N train tossed two smoke bombs onto the floor, and opened fire inside the train as it approached the 36th Street station, Chief James Essig said.
The gunman fired at least 33 times, striking 10 people.
SEPTA says it has about 28,000 cameras in place to keep an eye on the transit system on all lines and officers have been placed at different stations.
SEPTA riders have been encouraged to pay extra attention during their commute and report suspicious incidents through the Transit Watch app.
3. Weather Authority: Dry and quiet Wednesday night will lead to stormy Thursday afternoon
PHILADELPHIA - A dry and quiet Wednesday night into Thursday morning will end Thursday afternoon as a cold front approaches, FOX 29’s Scott Williams says.
Scattered, severe thunderstorms may emerge as the front pushes through, mainly between 2 to 6 p.m. The main threat from the system would be gusty winds in excess of 60 mph. Temperatures will reach toward 80 again, before the front moves through.
By Easter Sunday, temperatures will fall back below average, with highs into next week only reaching to the low to mid 50s.
4. DA: Philadelphia man turns himself in, charged with murder of pregnant woman in Upper Merion
Rafiq Thompson of Philadelphia was charged with the murder of a pregnant woman in Upper Merion after turning himself in to authorities.
PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia man who was wanted for the murder of a pregnant woman in Upper Merion on Friday has been charged after turning himself in, the Montgomery County District Attorney announced.
According to officials, 38-year-old Rafiq Thompson is facing first-degree murder and related charges connected to the shooting death of 31-year-old Tamara Cornelius last week.
Police say the shooting took place at an Exxon gas station before 11 p.m. on North Gulph Road and West Dekalb Pike.
Officers arrived on scene and found Cornelius lying in the gas station parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds, authorities say.
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