Cops, civilians and feds lauded for help nabbing suspected subway shooter 

New York City honored seven NYPD cops Wednesday — including two from Long Island — as well as private citizens and federal officials, for helping apprehend a man accused of last week's mass shooting in a Brooklyn subway car. 

During a ceremony at police headquarters in Manhattan, both NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell and Mayor Eric Adams handed out individual proclamations to those who played a role in the capture of suspect Frank James. The arrest ended a tense 30-hour search after the April 12 shooting, which wounded two dozen people and terrorized the city. 

James, 62, is being held on federal terrorism charges.

The mayor and police commissioner handed out more than a dozen proclamations to a group that included NYPD Deputy Inspector Ralph Clement, who lives in Suffolk, and 9th Precinct Sgt. James Keating, a Nassau resident. The pair, along with 9th Precinct Det. Specialist Sean Donohue, were lauded for their efforts capturing James on April 13 near a McDonald's in Manhattan’s East Village. Donohue, of Manhattan, and Keating were in a police car that jumped a curb and cornered James after the suspect left the McDonald's.

Others recognized Wednesday included five civilians who provided key tips on James' whereabouts and three federal agencies involved in the investigation.

Adams praised the efforts of four civilians, who directed cops to James, and said they exemplified the spirit of the city coming together at a time of crisis.

"It doesn't matter if you are eight or 80," the mayor said, "we are New Yorkers."

Adams also noted that some among other civilians who helped police find James were relatively recent immigrants living "this thing we call the American dream" when fate stepped in. 

"The subtext to this story is the names who called in tips, if you were to ask them they were probably all first-generation New Yorkers … ," Adams said. "They love this city so much they went after the person who tried to destroy our way of life."

One of the citizens who drew a great deal of attention Wednesday was Jack Griffin, 17, who happened to spot James near Canal Street, took his picture, and sent the images to police. Griffin, who was accompanied by his mother Amy at the ceremony, said he spotted James while looking for street scenes and graffiti to photograph.

"I knew it was him right away," because police had put out James' photo in the early hours of the investigation, Griffin told reporters.

The fact that the teenager wasn't peering down at his smartphone, but instead, was looking for subjects to photograph, made it fortuitous that he got the picture of James, Griffin said.

Also coming up for praise was NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig and his staff.

"Case after case, you solve, detectives doing the good old-fashioned work to get it done," Adams said, describing Essig and his team as among the best in law enforcement.

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.