Police: White sword killer went to NY to attack black people

NEW YORK (AP) — A white U.S. 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 today.

James Harris Jackson surrendered at a Times Square police station early today, 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 harbored feelings of hatred toward black men for at least 10 years, authorities said. He traveled 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.

Jackson was wandering the streets in a long overcoat concealing a 26-inch 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.