IIRC Goetz told a neighbor that he was the shooter.
She turned him in. If he had kept quiet he would have been safe from prosecution.
After that shooting subway crime dropped, big time.
The Goetz effect.
NYC could use a little (a lot) of that now.
I lived around he corner from him then, used to see him often in the neighborhood, The city was a mess then, and I always felt he did he right thing to defend himself. But I will also say that he has “weirdo” and “loner” written all over him, and I very much doubt that he would have ever gotten married and had children no matter what.
“IIRC Goetz told a neighbor that he was the shooter.
She turned him in. If he had kept quiet he would have been safe from prosecution.”
Not according to Mr. Goetz.
He stated that he drove to New Hampshire and turned himself in to NH police.
Exactly right. Neighbor asked why he was so glum. He told her.
HE broke the saying, "Shoot, shovel, shutup". He hung himself IMHO. Remember, this was a time before LOTS of cameras in the Metro. You couldn't get away with this today....unless you are very, very good at subterfuge.