Bernhard Goetz, born November 7, 1947, is best known for his moniker "the Subway Vigilante". Following an assault in 1981, Goetz was infuriated by the lack of prosecution of the three assailants. He decided to start carrying a gun for protection. In 1984, four teenagers approached Goetz again, but this time Goetz shot all four, paralyzing one. The case made him a folk hero for many New Yorkers.
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The subsequent trial in 1987 acquitted Goetz of attempted murder, but he was found guilty of illegal firearms possession count, for which he served less than a year. Yet pressure to hold the shooter accountable for his actions landed Goetz back in court. This time, though, Goetz refused to stay on the sidelines. Following the conclusion of his first trial, he'd become much more vocal about the problems facing the city. He pushed for all civilians to arm themselves, and told one reporter that Cabey's mother would have been better if she'd had an abortion. In 1996, a civil jury found in favor of the plaintiff, and awarded Cabey, who had been paralyzed by the shooting, $43 million in damages. Goetz immediately declared bankruptcy.