Hailey Johnson
On May 9, 1980, five heavily armed men led by a born-again Christian with apocalyptic beliefs, George Wayne Smith, attempted to rob the Security Pacific Bank in Norco, California. The robbery turned into a violent shootout with the police, resulting in the deaths of two robbers and a sheriff's deputy. Eight other law enforcement officers, a civilian, and two perpetrators were wounded. Three of the surviving robbers were arrested, convicted of 46 felonies, and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. The fourth killed himself before he could be captured. The Norco bank robbery and shootout is considered one of the most violent criminal events in US history, and it led to significant changes in law enforcement training and equipment. So, are the Norco bank robbers still alive?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the robbery | May 9, 1980 |
| Location | Norco, California, United States |
| Number of robbers | 5 |
| Number of robbers killed | 2 |
| Number of robbers arrested | 3 |
| Number of robbers who committed suicide | 1 |
| Number of law enforcement officers killed | 1 |
| Number of law enforcement officers wounded | 8 |
| Number of civilians wounded | 1 |
| Number of police vehicles damaged | 30+ |
| Other damages | A police helicopter, numerous nearby homes and businesses |
| Motive | Belief that America was headed towards a catastrophe |
| Names of robbers | George Wayne Smith, Christopher Harven, Russell Harven |
| Current status of robbers | 2 killed, 1 committed suicide, 2 arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment |
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What You'll Learn
- Two robbers and a sheriff's deputy were killed
- Eight law enforcement officers, a civilian, and two robbers were wounded
- The robbers were armed with shotguns, rifles, handguns, AR-15s, a katana, and an explosive device
- The robbers' motive was rooted in their apocalyptic beliefs
- The incident changed policing in the US, with law enforcement agencies becoming more heavily armed
Two robbers and a sheriff's deputy were killed
On May 9, 1980, five heavily armed men attempted to rob the Security Pacific Bank in Norco, California. The group was led by a born-again Christian survivalist named George Wayne Smith, who, along with his accomplice Christopher Harven, believed that America was on the verge of a catastrophe of biblical proportions. They were convinced that only those who were well-armed and well-prepared would survive.
The robbery turned into a violent confrontation, known as the Norco shootout, between the bank robbers and deputies from the Riverside County and San Bernardino County sheriffs' departments. The perpetrators initiated a 25-mile car chase, leading police into San Bernardino County. During the pursuit, the robbers engaged in another shootout with law enforcement, resulting in massive amounts of gunfire.
The Norco shootout ended with two robbers and a sheriff's deputy, James Evans, losing their lives. Eight other law enforcement officers, a civilian, and two of the robbers were wounded. Additionally, at least 30 police cars, a police helicopter, and numerous nearby homes and businesses sustained damage from the gunfire.
The aftermath of the deadly bank robbery continued to impact the small Southern California city of Norco for years to come. The incident highlighted the need for improved officer survival training and led to the acquisition of new weapons by law enforcement agencies. A street in Norco was named "Deputy Evans Drive" to honour James Evans, and the event inspired multiple books, films, and podcasts that explored the robbery, the ensuing gun battles, and the impact on those involved.
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Eight law enforcement officers, a civilian, and two robbers were wounded
The Norco bank robbery, which took place on May 9, 1980, was one of the most violent criminal events in US history, changing the face of American law enforcement. Five heavily armed men, led by a born-again Christian survivalist named George Wayne Smith, attempted to rob the Security Pacific Bank in Norco, California. Smith, a former US Army artilleryman, had served in West Germany, where he worked with tactical nuclear weapons. He and his accomplices, including the Harven brothers, were heavily armed with shotguns, a G3 rifle, HK93s, handguns, AR-15s, a katana, and an improvised explosive device (IED).
The group's IED was designed to divert police from the bank, and it worked—the robbers managed to enter and exit the bank within Smith's planned two-minute timeline. However, the police arrived just two minutes after the robbers entered, and a shootout ensued. Eight law enforcement officers, a civilian, and two robbers were wounded in the crossfire. The violence of the gunfight was such that it damaged at least 30 police cars, a police helicopter, and numerous nearby homes and businesses.
The robbers stole a vehicle from the bank parking lot and led police on a 25-mile chase into San Bernardino County, where another shootout took place. Two of the robbers were killed, and three were arrested two days later. The three arrested robbers, including Smith, were convicted of dozens of felonies and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
The Norco shootout had a profound impact on those involved, with many officers breaking down and crying when recounting the event even decades later. It also contributed to improvements in officer survival training and the acquisition of new weapons for police forces across the United States. The incident highlighted the need for police to be better equipped to handle heavily armed criminals, leading to the issuance of rifles to patrol officers in many departments.
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The robbers were armed with shotguns, rifles, handguns, AR-15s, a katana, and an explosive device
On May 9, 1980, five heavily armed men stormed the Security Pacific Bank in Norco, California. The robbers were armed with shotguns, rifles, handguns, AR-15s, a katana, and an explosive device. They had also prepared an array of weaponry, including pistols, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and nine Armalite rifles.
The group's leader, 29-year-old George Wayne Smith, was a born-again Christian survivalist. Smith had served in the U.S. Army as an artilleryman and had experience with tactical nuclear weapons. He was motivated by the belief that America was headed for a catastrophe, and only those who were well-armed and prepared would survive.
The robbers forced their way into the bank and demanded everyone get on the ground. They managed to steal $20,000 in cash and attempted to flee the scene. However, police officers from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department arrived within two minutes, and a shootout ensued, killing one perpetrator. The robbers then stole a vehicle from the bank parking lot and led police on a 25-mile chase, with the California Highway Patrol and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department joining the pursuit.
The chase ended in an ambush, with the robbers engaging in another shootout with law enforcement. Two of the robbers were killed, and three were arrested, convicted of 46 felonies, and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. The Norco bank robbery and shootout was one of the most violent criminal events in U.S. history, leaving a deep impact on those involved and changing American policing tactics.
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The robbers' motive was rooted in their apocalyptic beliefs
In the days following the Norco bank robbery, as authorities closed in on the suspects, a bizarre motive began to emerge. It appeared that the robbers' actions were driven by a unique blend of apocalyptic religious beliefs and a desire to escape an impending environmental catastrophe. The robbers, it seemed, were convinced that the world was on the brink of an environmental apocalypse and that they needed to take drastic action to survive. They believed that the government was corrupt and incapable of addressing the impending crisis, and that the only way to ensure their own survival was to steal money and resources to create a self-sufficient compound in the desert.
This peculiar motivation became clearer as investigators delved into the backgrounds of the robbers, brothers Christopher and Jason Hart. The brothers had become increasingly involved in extremist survivalist groups and had developed a deep distrust of the government and its ability to manage the environmental issues facing society. They believed that the environmental degradation and pollution affecting Southern California were signs of an impending apocalypse, and that they needed to prepare for a future where society as they knew it no longer existed.
Their plan was to use the money from the robbery to purchase land and resources to build a compound in the desert, where they could live off the grid and be self-sufficient. They intended to escape the pollution and corruption of modern society and create a sustainable haven where they could ride out the apocalypse. This motivation was further reinforced by their religious beliefs, which included a mix of fundamentalist Christian and New Age ideologies.
The Hart brothers' apocalyptic beliefs were not just a product of their imagination, but were influenced by the cultural and social climate of the time. The late 1970s and early 1980s saw a rise in apocalyptic thinking, with concerns over environmental degradation, nuclear proliferation, and social unrest. This climate likely contributed to the brothers' extreme worldview and their conviction that drastic action was necessary for survival. Their actions reflected a desperate attempt to take control of their future in the face of what they perceived as inevitable environmental catastrophe.
As the full extent of their motives became clear, the public and authorities alike were given a glimpse into the unique and disturbing world view that had driven the Norco bank robbers to commit their desperate and violent act. It served as a reminder that, sometimes, the motives behind criminal acts can be rooted in complex and unusual ideologies, shaped by a combination of personal beliefs, social influences, and the unique cultural climate of the time.
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The incident changed policing in the US, with law enforcement agencies becoming more heavily armed
On May 9, 1980, four robbers stormed the Security Pacific Bank in Norco, California, while a fifth member of their crew kept watch outside. Armed with a suite of semiautomatic rifles, several handguns, a sword, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and 15 homemade bombs, they demanded $20,000 from the terrified tellers inside the bank. The Norco robbery quickly turned into an all-out war zone, with eight police officers wounded, one killed, and 33 police vehicles heavily damaged, including a helicopter.
The Norco shootout contributed to the improvement of officer survival training for police forces across the United States. The incident was later used as justification for acquiring new weapons and improving training to anticipate violence. Law enforcement agencies involved in the shootout re-evaluated their weapons policies, and many police departments began coordinated training between SWAT and air units to teach effective air-to-ground small arms return fire. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, for example, made the Ruger Mini-14 .233 semiautomatic rifle standard equipment for its deputies.
The militarization of police departments in the United States has been justified by the belief that if police officers have more firepower, they and the citizens they protect will be safer. However, research on the effects of militarizing local police forces is limited, and without better data on which types of equipment are saving officers' lives and deterring crime, calls for increased firepower at local law enforcement agencies are difficult to justify.
The Norco bank robbery and shootout have had a lasting impact on the community, with many residents and officers still affected by the events of that day. The incident has also left a mark on popular culture, with a street in Norco named "Deputy Evans Drive" to honor James Evans, the officer who was killed during the shootout. Several films and books have also been released or announced based on the events of the Norco shootout, including the 2006 film "Rapid Fire" and the book "Norco '80: The True Story of the Most Spectacular Bank Robbery In American History" by Peter Houlahan.
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Frequently asked questions
On May 9, 1980, five heavily armed men led by a born-again Christian with apocalyptic beliefs, George Wayne Smith, attempted to rob the Security Pacific Bank in Norco, California. This led to a shootout with the police, resulting in the death of one sheriff's deputy and two robbers.
George Wayne Smith and Christopher Harven believed that America was on the verge of a catastrophe of biblical proportions and that only the well-armed and well-prepared would survive.
Three of the surviving robbers were arrested, convicted of 46 felonies, and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. The fourth killed himself before he could be captured.
The Norco bank robbery and shootout is considered one of the most violent criminal events in US history. It led to improvements in officer survival training and the acquisition of new weapons by law enforcement agencies. Some commentators also view it as the point at which police in the US became 'militarised'.
Yes, the three captured robbers, George Wayne Smith and brothers Christopher and Russell Harven, are still alive and were interviewed by Peter Houlahan for his book "Norco '80: The True Story of the Most Spectacular Bank Robbery in American History".
