Racist took New York bus to kill
Sword killer told police he’d harboured feelings of hatred toward black men for at least 10 years
Awhite US Army veteran from Baltimore bent on making a racist attack took a bus to New York, the “media capital of the world,” randomly picked out a black man who was collecting bottles on the street and killed him with a sword, police said Wednesday.
James Harris Jackson turned himself in at a Times Square police station early on Wednesday, about 25 hours after Timothy Caughman staggered into a police precinct bleeding to death.
“I’m the person that you’re looking for,” Jackson told police, according to Assistant Chief William Aubrey.
Jackson, who was arrested on suspicion of murder, told police he’d harboured feelings of hatred toward black men for at least 10 years, authorities said.
He travelled to New York on March 17 and had been staying in a Manhattan hotel. “The reason he picked New York is because it’s the media capital of the world and he wanted to make a statement,” Aubrey said.
Wandering about
Jackson was wandering the streets in a long overcoat concealing a 66-centimetre sword when he encountered Caughman, who was collecting bottles from trash cans, police said. Jackson stabbed him repeatedly in his chest and back, they said.
Caughman, who was 66 years old and lived in a transitional house, was taken to a hospital by police shortly after he arrived to the station house. He died at the hospital. According to his Twitter page, he was an autograph collector and a music and movie lover. After the attack, Jackson, 28, went to the bathroom of a nearby restaurant and washed off the blood from the killing.
Investigators said they believed Jackson was considering other attacks but surrendered after noticing his photo in media reports. He had two knives and told investigators where they could find the sword, police said.