From what I remember, the guy trying to kill the bodega owner was black. Well, if what happened at that store occurred back in the 70's, there would have been no way that black guy would have made it out that neighborhood alive.
On that part of Broadway, it was (and probably still is) dominated by Dominicans. The assailant would have been literally torn to shreds by the various gang enforcers if they found out a black guy was attempting to rob the store, let alone stab one of the workers.
The tension was that thick there between blacks and Dominicans. If you were black and kept your cool, no problems. Start anything, you put your life in danger.
Sharks and Jets?