This is CBS I In The World.

I'm John Batchewith.

My colleague Harry Segel.

He's a senior editor at the city and online journal.

I highly recommend, as well as a columnist for the New York Daily News.

I highly recommend.

Bernie Gatz, 1987.

John was much younger, and it was the puzzle at the time what it was about, because though

the subways in those days were crowded, and the city itself was enjoying the first fruits

of what would be a renaissance in the 1990s.

However, Bernie Gatz, a young man with no adequate motive, used a weapon to shoot 14 acres

on a subway system.

One of them, as I recall, was paralyzed for life.

Bernie Gatz said he was defending himself from a robbery attempt.

That was always a little ambiguous.

Now here we are in the 21st century.

And Harry, you write not just of the tragedies of the Marine and the homeless man, but

also additional tragedies where self-defense is used as an explanation or rationalization.

Harry, is this a trend in Manhattan?

Is this a trend in the subway system in general?

How is it understood?

Is a self-defense mechanism breaking out all of a sudden?

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