Elliot Williams On New York City, Race, And The ‘Subway Vigilante’
On Dec. 22, 1984, Bernard Goetz, a white man, shot and seriously wounded four Black teenagers in a New York City subway car.
Their names were were Barry Allen, Darrell Cabey, Troy Canty, and James Ramseur. Goetz fled the scene resulting in a manhunt. In the meantime, New Yorkers dubbed him the “subway vigilante.”
The city was experiencing a crime wave and some residents championed the man who took matters into his own hands. The case sparked a conversation about race, vigilantism, and public safety that still has reverberates through our country today.
It’s also the subject of Elliot…
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