In the quiet suburban town of Nanuet, New York, a violent and tragic event unfolded on October 20, 1981, forever altering the community's sense of peace. Peter M. Paige, a 49-year-old male, was working his shift as a Brink's guard at the Nanuet Mall. As he and his fellow guards were loading money into an armored truck, they were suddenly ambushed by a group of heavily armed individuals.
The assailants, armed with M16 rifles, opened fire, striking Paige multiple times in the chest and killing him instantly.
The brazen attack was not a random act of violence but a meticulously planned robbery carried out by domestic terrorists associated with the Black Liberation Army and the Weather Underground. In the ensuing chaos, Paige's colleagues, Joseph Trombino and James Kelly, were also wounded as the robbers made off with $1.6 million in cash. The shocking incident triggered a massive manhunt and a complex investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The investigation ultimately led to the identification and arrest of several individuals connected to the May 19th Communist Organization, which included members of the Black Liberation Army and former members of the Weather Underground. The legal proceedings that followed were extensive, resulting in the conviction of nine people for their roles in the robbery and murders. Among those convicted and sentenced to long prison terms were Kathy Boudin, Judith Alice Clark, David Gilbert, and Marilyn Buck. One of the suspects was killed in a shootout with police during the investigation.
Years later, the case resurfaced in the public eye due to controversial decisions regarding the parole and commutation of sentences for some of those involved. Notably, the commutation of David Gilbert's sentence by former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2021 drew sharp criticism from the victims' families and law enforcement officials, reigniting the pain and debate surrounding the deadly armored car robbery. Another key figure, Mutulu Shakur, who was considered the ringleader, was captured in 1986 and sentenced to 60 years in prison. He was granted parole on compassionate release grounds in December 2022 and died several months later.
