08/10/1977 • 5 views
David Berkowitz Arrested in New York, Ending 1976–77 'Son of Sam' Killing Spree
On August 10, 1977, David Berkowitz was arrested in Yonkers, New York, accused of a series of shootings in New York City known as the 'Son of Sam' attacks that left six dead and several wounded between 1976 and 1977.
Investigation and public atmosphere
The shootings began in July 1976 and continued intermittently through July 1977. Victims were often young couples sitting in cars at night; many shootings occurred in Queens and the Bronx, though attacks also took place elsewhere in the city. The killer sent several letters and notes to newspapers and police, some signed "Son of Sam," which escalated media coverage and public alarm. New York City responded with heightened police patrols, public warnings, and community fear about dating and nighttime activity.
Police work leading to the arrest
Detectives pursued multiple leads over more than a year. A crucial investigative thread involved converging eyewitness descriptions, ballistic evidence linking different shootings, and the behavioral pattern of the assailant. In the weeks before the arrest, investigators focused on a parking lot in Yonkers after reported suspicious activity there. On August 10, plainclothes officers observed a man loitering near vehicles; after approaching him and questioning him about his vehicle and identity, they arrested him and subsequently linked him to the shootings through ballistic matches and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
The suspect and legal outcome
The man arrested was David Richard Berkowitz, born in 1953. He was charged with multiple counts related to the shootings. Berkowitz later pleaded guilty to several of the murders to avoid a potential death sentence; he received multiple consecutive terms of 25 years to life in prison. As of later decades, Berkowitz remained incarcerated, having been denied parole repeatedly. He also became known for conversions to different religious beliefs while imprisoned; accounts of his later statements and behavior are matters of public record.
Legacy and cultural impact
The arrests and subsequent trial—and the chilling letters sent to newspapers—left a lasting imprint on New York City and American popular culture. The affair prompted debates about media handling of taunting communications from criminals and about public safety measures in large cities. The case has been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and dramatizations; it also contributed to changes in police investigative practices and public awareness about serial violent offenders.
Notes on sources and disputed details
Many elements of the chronology, victim counts, and investigative tactics are documented in contemporaneous news reports and court records. Some peripheral claims and later theories—about accomplices or alternative suspects—have circulated in media and popular accounts; those remain disputed or unproven in official records. This summary focuses on the arrest on August 10, 1977, and the broadly established facts about the immediate investigation and legal outcome.