The Summer When the New York Post Chased Son of Sam

A daily mix of stories about cities, city life, and our always evolving neighborhoods and skylines. [Curbed]( TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 chapters [The Summer When the New York Post Chased Son of Sam]( An oral history of the tabloid race to cover a serial killer. Photo: Martha Cooper In the summer of 1977, New Yorkers were forced to deal with crime, a stifling heat wave, and a major blackout — along with simmering dread over a string of shootings of young couples in Queens, the Bronx, and Brooklyn. The city’s tabloids amped up the tension with front-page stories and even appeals to the shooter, who was initially dubbed “the .44 Caliber Killer” because of the bullets he used. The Daily News, especially its star columnist Jimmy Breslin, jumped ahead in the tabloid competition to cover what turned into one of the most lurid tales in tabloid history — especially after the killer, who called himself “Son of Sam,” began writing to Breslin. The New York Post — purchased the year before by Rupert Murdoch, and at this point edited by him as well because he’d fired his top editor — did its best to catch up, its coverage largely driven by the notoriously aggressive reporter Steve Dunleavy. In this excerpt adapted from [Paper of Wreckage: The Rogues, Renegades, Wiseguys, Wankers, and Relentless Reporters Who Redefined American Media](, by Susan Mulcahy and Frank DiGiacomo (Atria; October 8), Post veterans and observers recall the furious race to get the story. [Continue reading »]( Want more on city life, real estate, and design? [Subscribe now]( to save over 40% on unlimited access to Curbed and everything New York. [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( The Latest [A Chelsea One-Bedroom With a Pool for Under a Million Plus a loftlike Park Slope one-bed with tin ceilings and two working fireplaces.]( By Kim Velsey [Where Sarah Jessica Parker and Simon Doonan Got Their Ribbons Remembering M&J Trimming, a Garment District institution that will soon be closing its doors.]( By Fiorella Valdesolo [Rumaan Alam Moved to New York With a Bottle of Acqua di Giò and $300 The novelist on his early years scrimping in New York, even after getting a job at Condé Nast.]( As told to Clio Chang [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Read More From Curbed]( [Sign up to get The Listings Edit](, a weekly digest of the most worth-it apartments in New York. [GET THE NEWSLETTER]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe]( | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1701 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2024, All rights reserved