Brooklyn shooting suspect's Philadelphia ties shake neighborhood

As news unfolded throughout North Philadelphia that the suspect in the Brooklyn subway mass shooting, Frank James, had ties to the area, even hard-scrabbled residents were taken aback by the brazen attack.

Frank Robert James, 62, was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Manhattan’s East Village neighborhood after someone called police, New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

James rented a U-Haul van from the location on West Hunting Park Avenue in North Philadelphia; New York law enforcement officials have said the van played a crucial role in James' carrying out the mass shooting.

More:What we know about Frank James, suspect arrested in the Brooklyn subway shooting

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Theresa Reynolds lives on Allegheny Avenue, within walking distance to the U-Haul's rental location. Reynolds recalls being saddened at the news, and then outraged by the Philadelphia connection.

"When I first heard the shooter (could possibly be) from North Philly, my heart kind of broke. We in this neighborhood already have a bad reputation and these streets have a bad reputation, so actions like this only makes us look worse," Reynolds said. "So he is from Wisconsin? He came from Wisconsin to here and then went to Brooklyn to shoot up the subway? My heart is breaking for the victims. Trust me, North Philadelphia is better than this."

New York police said in addition to Philadelphia, James also had addresses in Milwaukee, and may have driven from Milwaukee to Philadelphia before the shooting.

Philadelphia Police Public Affairs confirmed that James had a residential address within the city, but cited departmental policy in not releasing the suspect's address.

However, that didn't prevent James' address from reaching the public, and Philadelphia police said they already had to deal with several confrontations between James' family members and an irate pubic.

Back on 18th Street near Venango, residents there said they had never seen James before, but hoped for his speedy capture.

"Look, there is a lot of shooting and drama around the way, but this is something that no one has ever seen or wanted here. Weren't some young people shot? I can't imagine getting on (SEPTA's Broad Street Line) with my two daughters and then having to duck for our lives," said Muhammad Greene, who would only say he lives in the area. "I have to get the sub right now to get to an appointment, and this is going to make me look at everyone twice."

Greene said he leads a small anti-gun violence program in North Philly, and as such, he didn't think this shooting was something that evolved from the streets. Instead, Greene questioned James' mental state and if he got the help he needed before allegedly conducting a mass shooting in Brooklyn's subway.

"Around here, someone gets shot, you usually know for what and what it was about, right? There is simply no rhyme nor reason to this guy's actions," Greene said. "I'm sure he didn't know those people he shot, and didn't have a beef with people just trying to get to work or wherever.

"Something must have been off with him, and no one ever saw it or helped him through it."

Samantha Markles said the shooting had a different effect: She will avoid the subway for the time being.

"If it can happen in Brooklyn, it can definitely happen here," Markles said. "I take enough chances taking public transportation as it is. The next time I need to get downtown or South Philly, I'll catch the bus or call an Uber. Can you imagine a shooting on the sub here? There would be nowhere to run."

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: North Philadelphians shaken by mass shooting in Brooklyn subway