Was NYC Racial Killing the Work of a Phineas Priest?
An Army veteran who traveled to New York City with the expressed intention of killing a black man reportedly also wanted to deliver a racist manifesto to The New York Times, the newspaper reported in today鈥檚 editions.聽
James Harris Jackson, 28, of Hampden, Maryland, surrendered to New York City police and confessed Wednesday, two days after a homeless man聽had a 26-inch sword plunged through his body.
Timothy Caughman, the 66-year-old victim, was a bottle collector who liked to聽take selfies with celebrities. He聽died at a hospital after stumbling two blocks for help.
Media accounts say the suspect, arrested about 24 hours after the attack, has harbored racist views at least a decade 鈥� which would include the time he served in the Army between 2009 and 2012, including a tour in Afghanistan.
The suspect claimed he is a member of a white supremacist group, according to various media accounts, but authorities have not yet provided further details or named any specific group.
Jackson has 鈥渁 particular deep-seated hatred for black men romantically involved with white women,鈥� the reported in today鈥檚 editions.聽Such hostile and violent views on interracial relationship are championed by racists following the philosophy of the Phineas Priesthood.
Authorities planned to search the suspect鈥檚 Hampden聽residence, 200 miles from New York City, and forensically examine his computer and cell phone to further investigate his motivation.
It may be on those electronic devices where investigators hope to find 鈥渁 manifesto explaining his desire and plans that he had wanted to deliver to The New York Times,鈥� the reported in today鈥檚 editions.
William Aubry, New York City鈥檚 assistant police chief, told reporters that Jackson was arrested on a charge of second-degree murder, but investigators plan to upgrade the charge by classifying the homicide as a hate crime.
The assistant chief said the suspect, whose security camera image had been televised, surrendered to police and volunteered, 鈥淚鈥檓 the person you鈥檙e looking for.鈥澛�
Jackson told arresting officers that he chose New York City to make a statement by attacking black men because of the media attention his crime would generate.聽Security video seemed to corroborate the suspect鈥檚 confession, and police recovered the murder weapon, the assistant chief said.
The suspect told police he planned to grab a police officer鈥檚 gun and 鈥渟hoot some people鈥� after stabbing a black man, the newspaper reported, the Daily News reported.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called the killing an 鈥渦nspeakable human tragedy鈥� and an assault on the city鈥檚 inclusiveness and diversity.
Hates crimes have more than doubled this year in New York City, officials say.
鈥淣ow it鈥檚 our collective responsibility to speak clearly and forcefully in the face of intolerance and violence 鈥� here or across the country,鈥� the city鈥檚 mayor said.
鈥淲e are a safe city because we are inclusive,鈥� de Blasio said in response to the attack. 鈥淲e are a nation of unrivaled strength because we are diverse. No act of violence can undermine who we are.鈥�
