5 young men. 32 destroyed police vehicles. 1 spectacular bank robbery. This “cinematic” true crime story transports readers to the scene of one of the most shocking bank heists in U.S. history—a crime that’s almost too wild to be real (The New York Times Book Review).
Norco ’80 tells the story of how five heavily armed young men—led by an apocalyptic born–again Christian—attempted a bank robbery that turned into one of the most violent criminal events in U.S. history, forever changing the face of American law enforcement. Part action thriller and part courtroom drama, this Edgar Award finalist for Best Fact Crime transports the reader back to the Southern California of the 1970s, an era of predatory evangelical gurus, doomsday predictions, megachurches, and soaring crime rates, with the threat of nuclear obliteration looming over it all.
In this riveting true story, a group of landscapers transforms into a murderous gang of bank robbers armed to the teeth with military–grade weapons. Their desperate getaway turns the surrounding towns into war zones. And when it’s over, three are dead and close to twenty wounded; a police helicopter has been forced down from the sky, and thirty–two police vehicles have been completely demolished by thousands of rounds of ammo. The resulting trial shakes the community to the core, raising many issues that continue to plague society today: from the epidemic of post–traumatic stress disorder within law enforcement to religious extremism and the militarization of local police forces.
Peter Houlahan is a freelance writer contributing to a wide range of publications. In his career as an emergency medical technician, he has written a number of articles related to his profession. He holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. A native Southern Californian, Houlahan now lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Find out more at www.peterhoulahan.com.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Revelation Chapter 2: The Jupiter Effect Chapter 3: Zeroed Out Chapter 4: The RSO Chapter 5: Takeover Chapter 6: The End of the World Chapter 7: Firefight Chapter 8: Wineville Chapter 9: The Graveyard of Cars Chapter 10: Interstate Chapter 11: Ambush Chapter 12: Some Men Never Get to See their Sons Grow Up Chapter 13: Shot Through the Heart Chapter 14: The Norco 3 Chapter 15: Left for Dead Chapter 16: Open and Shut Chapter 17: The Investigator Chapter 18: Friendly Fire Chapter 19: Who the Fuck is Jerry Cohen? Chapter 20: Stockholm Syndrome Epilogue