The BBC writes that on August 22, 1972, John Wojtowicz and his two accomplices, Salvatore Naturelle (or Naturile, or Naturale depending on the source), and Bobby Westenberg, decided to rob the Chase Manhattan Bank in Brooklyn. Inside Edition reports that this heist was not well planned out. The men attempted but failed to rob two other banks that day. Moreover, they took a break to watch “The Godfather” in theaters. At 3 p.m., the three entered the Chase Manhattan Bank and promptly made their intentions clear to the bank teller. However, the robbery went awry quickly. There was barely any money in the safe, Westenberg decided to flee, and someone called the authorities.
With the building surrounded, Wojtowicz opted to take the bank’s seven employees hostage, states Avenue Magazine. According to the BBC, the FBI began negotiating with Wojtowicz as 2,000 people convened to witness the spectacle. Wojtowicz requested pizza for his hostages, threw money at the crowd, and gave interviews to journalists. At one point, Wojtowicz revealed that he was robbing the bank to provide his wife, Elizabeth Eden, with her gender-affirming surgery (per Inside Edition). The FBI brought Eden to the scene, but she did not want to see Wojtowicz.
Read Related Also: SALSA TIFF TURNS FELONY: Woman Gas Station Clerk Chases, SHOOTS at Man Who Broke Jar of Salsa
After 14 hours, the standoff ended when the FBI agreed to get Wojtowicz, Naturelle, and Eden on a flight to Europe. The FBI transported Wojtowicz, Naturelle, and the hostages to the airport. However, it was all a ruse; the FBI shot and killed Naturelle and arrested Wojtowicz.
