Bernard Goetz,NYC "Vigilante",12/22/1984, shot 4 robbers.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Goetz

Bernard Goetz (the 'o' is silent, so it's pronounced Gettz) was a 37 year old, bookish-looking man who lived in NYC.
He had been mugged and injured previously. He tried to get a NY permit to carry a handgun since he carried valuable
electronic equipment (his business) and carried large sums of cash. He was denied, but on a trip to Florida he bought
a .38 Caliber, 5 shot, Smith and Wesson revolver.

On 12/22/84, he was riding a subway train and 4 young black men attempted to rob him. He immediately drew his gun and
quickly fired all 5 shots, estimated by him to have taken 1.6 seconds. Each perp was shot once, and one shot missed.
He had no backup ammo.

You can read many more details in the above link. My reason for posting this is that Bernard Goetz is an important historical
character in the self defense and CHL world. At the time the NYC crime rate was going through the roof. Crime was not
being controlled by the NYC LEO's and people were fed up. The Goetz case may have been the turning point in making
NYC into a safer place.

The Goetz incident was cheered by good people, who felt like Goetz had done the right thing by shooting 4 robbers.
Yet other good people felt that Goetz was a "vigilante" who used deadly force without enough cause.

He fled NYC after the shooting and drove around New England for a while before turning himself in at a New Hampshire
police station. People speculated "If he was so sure it was a good shoot, why did he flee?"

This incident happened 12/22/84, yet to this day Bernard Goetz is mentioned in TV shows, movies, rap songs, and Dave Letterman
has a "Top 10 list" for him.

Although NYC LEO's started getting a handle on crime after the Goetz shootings, neither NYS or NYC seems to have really
gotten on board with the CHL movement.

Goetz is still a NYC resident, 63 years old, and runs his business "Vigilante Electronics". He has not paid any of the $43 million
judgment awarded to the perp whose spine wound made him a cripple.

SIA

[surprise_i'm_armed]

Letterman's Top 10 List for Bernard Goetz follows:

Bernhard Goetz's Top 10 Pickup Lines - June 17, 1987

10. "Excuse me, Miss. I was shooting at the gentleman next to you.
9. "How'd you like to double date with the Sliwas?"
8. "Care to dance with an intense gun-toting loner?"
7. "You would have a very curvy chalk outline."
6. "I hate these pistol ranges, they're just meat markets."
5. "Sure, I know Gabe Pressman personally."
4. "Give me a scotch and soda and see what the punk on the floor will have."
3. "Which do you think is funnier - Deathwish II or Deathwish III?"
2. "The evening is young. Let's clean up this town."
1. "That is a gun in my pocket, and I am glad to see you."

SIA

[sjfcontrol]

Letterman's Top 10 List for Bernard Goetz follows:

Bernhard Goetz's Top 10 Pickup Lines - June 17, 1987

10. "Excuse me, Miss. I was shooting at the gentleman next to you.
9. "How'd you like to double date with the Sliwas?"
8. "Care to dance with an intense gun-toting loner?"
7. "You would have a very curvy chalk outline."
6. "I hate these pistol ranges, they're just meat markets."
5. "Sure, I know Gabe Pressman personally."
4. "Give me a scotch and soda and see what the punk on the floor will have."
3. "Which do you think is funnier - Deathwish II or Deathwish III?"
2. "The evening is young. Let's clean up this town."
1. "That is a gun in my pocket, and I am glad to see you."

SIA

When we moved to Texas, we started watching Letterman for a while (since he comes on so early, here).
Shortly, I realized he really isn't very funny. That Top 10 List re-affirms my opinion. I didn't get so much as a slight chuckle out of ANY of them.