Shivangi Sinha
In December 1984, police responded to reports of a shooting on a Manhattan subway train, where they found 19-year-olds Barry Allen, Troy Canty, Darrell Cabey, and 18-year-old James Ramseur critically injured. They were immediately rushed to the hospital as authorities began searching for the shooter. Nine days later, Bernard Hugo Goetz surrendered to the police and admitted to the shooting. However, he claimed the teens had attempted to rob him, and he acted in self-defense. Netflix’s episode of ‘Trial By Media: The Truth Behind the Crimes’ titled ‘Subway Vigilante’ offers a detailed account of the incident and the aftermath.
Bernhard Goetz Shot Four Teenagers in a New York City Subway in 1984
Bernhard Hugo Goetz was born on November 7, 1947, to Bernhard Sr. and Gertrude Goetz. Growing up in Kew Gardens, Queens, with three older siblings, he was raised in a comfortable environment, thanks to his father’s successful dairy farm and bookbinding business. After completing his schooling in Switzerland, he returned to the United States and enrolled at New York University in 1969. He studied Electrical and Nuclear Engineering there. He built a successful career for himself, earning a reputation as both intelligent and accomplished.
Goetz eventually got married, and when his family relocated to Orlando, Florida, he moved with them. He joined his father in residential building development projects, but after his divorce, he felt the area lost its appeal. Deciding to return to New York City, he started his own electronics business and settled in Greenwich. On the morning of December 22, 1984, Goetz boarded a Broadway–Seventh Avenue express train at the 14th Street station in Manhattan. It was a relatively quiet time, and he stood in the seventh car of the ten-car train.
Goetz claimed that he was approached by Troy Canty and another boy who demanded $5 from him. He said that it made him feel threatened, and he feared a robbery. In response, he drew his 5-shot .38-caliber revolver and fired four shots. Canty was struck once, and the second shot hit Barry Allen. The third shot struck James Ramseur’s arm and traveled to his side, while the fourth shot narrowly missed Darrell Cabey. Witnesses testified that Cabey was crouching on the ground when Goetz said, “You don’t look so bad. Here’s another,” and shot again, causing severe spinal injuries and later resulting in brain damage for Cabey.
Bernhard Goetz Handed Himself Over to the Police and Claimed Self-Defense
After the shooting, the train conductor quickly arrived at the scene, and Bernhard Goetz explained that the boys had tried to rob him, which led him to fire at them. He refused to surrender his gun and later took a cab back to his apartment. Once home, he attempted to destroy his jacket and disassemble the weapon, but he remained fearful of being caught. After staying in various hotels across New England, he returned to New York City on December 30, 1984. The following day, on December 31, he went to the police station, where he voluntarily sat down for an extensive interrogation and provided an account of his actions.
During his interrogation, Goetz mentioned an incident in 1981 when he claimed to have been robbed at the Canal Street subway station, resulting in serious injuries. He stated that it took the police six hours to arrive at the scene, and he felt he was unfairly treated, with accusations of him being the aggressor. Following this event, he applied for a gun license, but his request was denied. Despite this, he managed to purchase a firearm in Florida. In his confession, Goetz showed no remorse for the shooting, asserting that he was merely defending himself because he did not feel safe in the city and believed the police could not protect him. He made aggressive remarks about the victims and denied any premeditation of the attack.
Bernhard Goetz Had to Face Both Criminal and Civil Lawsuits
After much legal back-and-forth, Bernhard Goetz was indicted on charges of attempted murder, four counts of assault, four counts of reckless endangerment, and one count of criminal possession of a weapon. His trial began in April 1987, where he again asserted his claim of self-defense. However, the prosecution argued that he had acted out of vigilantism, which raised concerns about his motivations. The jury convicted him only on the charge of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree. He was sentenced to six months in jail, one year of psychiatric treatment, five years probation, 200 hours of community service, and a $5,000 fine. Goetz appealed the sentence, and it was reduced to one year of incarceration and the same $5,000 fine. He served eight months in prison and was released on the basis of “good behavior.”
Just a month after the shooting, Darrell Cabey’s family filed a civil lawsuit against Goetz. The case finally went to trial in 1996, where discussions around the potential racist motives behind his actions became a central focus. Neighbors were called to testify, and they alleged that he had a history of making problematic statements. The jury ultimately found that he had acted recklessly and had intentionally inflicted emotional distress on Cabey. As a result, Cabey was awarded $43 million—$18 million for pain and suffering and $25 million in punitive damages. Goetz’s counter-defamation lawsuit, filed against the family in 1990, had already been dismissed. Shortly after, he declared bankruptcy.
Bernhard Goetz Lives in the Same Neighborhood Even Today
In the years following the attention on the case, Bernhard Goetz made sporadic appearances in the public eye. Immediately after the incident, he spoke out against the violence and unrest in New York City. In 2001, he ran for Mayor of New York but lost. Four years later, in 2005, he made headlines again when he ran for public advocate, though he failed in that bid as well. Goetz was back in the news in 2013 when he was arrested for selling marijuana to an undercover police officer. However, the charges were dropped as the prosecution took too long to bring the case to trial.
In a 2017 interview, Goetz stated that he had no regrets about his actions and stood by them. By 2020, reports emerged of him walking around Manhattan, with claims that he still lived in the same apartment he had years ago. He is known for his love of animals, particularly squirrels, and is also an advocate for medical marijuana use. Over the years, he has become a symbolic figure in popular culture and the social history of the country, with his case continuing to serve as a reminder for many social justice causes.
Read More: Allan Brown: Where is the Shooter Now?
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