Bernhard Goetz

Bernhard Hugo Goetz Jr., aka The Subway Vigilante was an American man who shot four teenage boys, allegedly in self-defense after they attempted to rob him.

Background
Not much is known about Goetz's early life. What is known is that he was born on November 7, 1947 to Bernhard Sr. and Gertrude Goetz. His parents were both German American and Lutherans (his mother was originally Jewish, but converted to her husband's faith). Goetz was the youngest of their four children. He and his sister attended a boarding school in Switzerland starting when he was 12. Goetz returned to the U.S. to attend New York University in 1965. He earned a bachelor's degree in both electrical and nuclear engineering. Goetz joined his family when they relocated to Orlando and worked with his father's residential development business. After he was divorced from a brief marriage, Goetz moved to New York City and began an electronics business from his apartment in Greenwich Village.

In 1981, Goetz was allegedly transporting electric equipment when he was attacked by three teenagers during an attempted robbery in the Canal Street subway station. They injured his chest and knee (causing permanent damage to both areas) when he was assisted by an off-duty officer. He helped the officer arrest one of the attackers while the other two escaped. The delinquent was only charged with criminal mischief and spent only half the time Goetz spent in the police station. Enraged, Goetz filed for a permit to carry a concealed firearm (which failed) and later bought a revolver while on a trip in Florida.

Subway Shooting
On December 22, 1984 Goetz entered a subway car, in which four teenage muggers had arrived on earlier with screwdrivers and intention to steal money from arcade machines. He entered the car and sat across one of them muggers. After making small talk with Goetz, they surrounded and blocked him off and asked him for $5 (allegedly panhandling, and not demanding). Goetz then shot the four teenagers with the revolver he purchased earlier. He briefly encountered the conductor and jumped the tracks to escape the train. He gathered some belongings and rented a car, destroyed both his blue jacket and the revolver, and stayed in several hotels under several different names.

Capture, Trial, and Aftermath
Goetz turned himself in to the Concord, New Hampshire Police headquarters on December 31. Goetz agreed to make an audiotaped statement and did so for over two-hours. The tape was sent to a grand jury, the criminal trial, and a civil trial years later. Goetz expressed his distain for the legal justice system, his fear of being "beaten to a pulp" and robbed, as well as his desire to murder his victims, and even a sadistic pleasure from hurting them. Goetz was moved to Manhattan on January 3, 1985 and held at Riker's Island prison hospital at $50,000 bail. He bailed himself out and was released on January 8.

The case of the Subway Vigilante attracted both heavy support (some believing Goetz to have been acting in self-defense) and criticism (others saying the teenagers were merely panhandling or that Goetz's reaction was excessive and unjustifiable).

Modus Operandi
Goetz shot his victims with a 38-caliber revolver, firing five shot at the muggers, one of which was left paraplegic and brain-damaged as a result.

Known Victims

 * December 22, 1984: The New York Subway Shooting
 * Troy Canty
 * Barry Allen, 19
 * Darrell Cabey, 19
 * James Ramseur, 18
 * Note: This is how Goetz allegedly claimed the shooting went down, according to his site.

On Criminal Minds

 * Season Three
 * Goetz was mentioned by Rossi in "True Night" as an example of how the episode's unsub may have found his victims, by waiting for them to attack them first.