This Day in Black History: Dec. 22, 1984

Bernhard Goetz, a 45-year-old white man, shot four Black teenagers on a New York City subway after they surrounded him and asked for $5. Three of the boys would recover, but one would be paralyzed and suffer from permanent brain damage. Goetz fled the scene, but turned himself into authorities nine days later. He was charged with attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment and several firearms offenses. He was found him not guilty of all charges except for one illegal firearms possession count.

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