Serial Killer Joseph Gerard Christopher
Introduction
Joseph Gerard Christopher was an American serial killer active between 1980 and 1981. Known as the “.22-Caliber Killer” and the “Midtown Slasher,” he targeted Black men in a series of racially motivated attacks. His killing spree spanned multiple states, including New York and Georgia, and involved both shootings and stabbings.
The .22-Caliber Killings
Christopher’s murder spree began in September 1980 in Buffalo, New York, where he used a .22-caliber sawed-off rifle to shoot his victims at close range. These attacks seemed random but were later identified as racially motivated.
- September 22, 1980: Glenn Dunn, 14, was shot and killed outside a supermarket in Buffalo, New York.
- September 23, 1980: Harold Green, 32, was shot and killed at a fast-food restaurant in Buffalo.
- September 24, 1980: Emmanuel Thomas, 30, was shot and killed while sitting on a bench.
- September 24, 1980: Joseph McCoy, 43, was shot and killed at a street corner in Buffalo.
The attacks left the city in a state of fear. The killings were seemingly random, with no witnesses able to identify the shooter. Investigators noticed a pattern: all victims were Black, and all were killed with a .22-caliber weapon.
The Midtown Stabbings
On December 22, 1980, Christopher escalated his attacks in New York City. He switched from firearms to a knife, ambushing victims in brutal slashing attacks. These attacks earned him the nickname the "Midtown Slasher."
- December 22, 1980: Four Black men were stabbed within a 13-hour period in Manhattan. One of them, John Adams, 25, died from his injuries.
- December 30, 1980: A homeless man, 31-year-old Ivan Frazier, was stabbed but survived.
Christopher continued his spree into 1981, traveling to Fort Benning, Georgia, where he was serving in the U.S. Army.
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