Elliot Williams On New York City, Race, And The ‘Subway Vigilante’
1A
NPR
4.4 • 4.3K Ratings
🗓️ 21 January 2026
⏱️ 34 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
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 Williams' new book, “Five Bullets: The Story of Bernie Goetz, New York’s Explosive 80s, and the Subway Vigilante that Divided the Nation.” Williams is a CNN legal analyst and 1A guest host. He joins us to talk discuss the book.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, I'm Johnny O'Hanson, Jr. |
| 0:02.7 | Join me each week on In Black America |
| 0:04.6 | as we profile current and historically significant figures |
| 0:08.0 | whose stories help illuminate life in Black America. |
| 0:11.4 | You don't want to miss the conversation. |
| 0:13.6 | KUT Radio and Black America are members of the NPR Network. |
| 0:17.6 | Thanks for listening to In Black America. |
| 0:33.7 | On December 22nd in 1984, Bernard Getz, a white man shot and seriously wounded four black teenagers in a New York City subway car. They were Barry Allen, Daryl Kaby, Troy Canty, and James Remser. |
| 0:42.3 | Gets fled the scene resulting in a manhut, but in the meantime, New Yorkers dubbed Gets the |
| 0:47.1 | subway vigilante. |
| 0:48.8 | The city was experiencing a crime wave, and some residents championed the man who took |
| 0:52.7 | measures into his own hands. |
| 0:55.1 | I think he did right. |
| 0:56.5 | By shooting these guys? |
| 0:58.1 | Sure. |
| 0:58.6 | They tried to mug him. |
| 0:59.8 | I think he was, you know, protecting himself. |
| 1:01.9 | This is around the Christmas holiday. |
| 1:03.3 | You got to look out for yourself. |
| 1:04.7 | I think he did right. |
| 1:06.3 | I really do. |
| 1:07.4 | Because somebody's got to do something and the police aren't always there. |
... |
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