Salvatore Naturile

As a child growing up in Keansburg, New Jersey,[citation needed] Naturile had been picked up and arrested on many charges of truancy, grand larceny, burglary and dangerous drugs.

[3] On August 22, 1972, Naturile and two accomplices attempted to rob a branch of the Chase Manhattan bank at 450 Avenue P in Gravesend, Brooklyn; the robbery was led by John Wojtowicz and Robert Westenberg.

The robbers entered the bank armed with a .38 caliber handgun and carrying a box which contained a shotgun and a rifle; all three weapons were purchased by Wojtowicz.

[3] Westenberg was to provide the demand note to the bank manager but, unnerved by a police car on the street, fled the scene before the robbery was announced.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and New York City Police Department (NYPD) feared Naturile during the hostage situation more than the more stable Wojtowicz.

It was not until later the latter was officially identified as Salvatore Naturile, who had charges pending against him for his arrest in Manhattan for possession of burglary tools, after having been released on parole.

FBI Special Agent Fred Fehl positioned himself on the driver's side of the limo next to the open window closest to Naturile, who sat between two hostages in the third row.

FBI Special Agent Dick Baker took up a position on the right side of the car closest to Wojtowicz, who was still situated in the rear seat.

NYPD Police Chief of Detectives Louis C. Cottell, who headed the negotiations during the initial standoff, stayed 15 feet away from the rear of the limo.

Agent Murphy took advantage of this opportunity to assess the threat Naturile and Wojtowicz posed from where they were situated in the vehicle as he turned to ask them the trigger question.

In 1975, Wojtowicz wrote a letter to The New York Times expressing concern that people would believe the film version of the events, which he said was only "30% accurate".