Jump to content

North Hollywood shootout: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
ColdFusion650 (talk | contribs)
5,584 edits
Undid revision 152836455 by Asams10 (talk) ok, now it's 4. and to prove it's a fact, you need a citation.
No edit summary
Line 15: Line 15:
The '''North Hollywood shootout''' was an armed confrontation between two heavily-armed and armored [[bank robbery|bank robbers]], [[Larry Eugene Phillips, Jr.|Larry Phillips, Jr.]] and [[Emil Matasareanu]], and [[patrol]] and [[SWAT]] officers of the [[Los Angeles Police Department]] in [[North Hollywood, California]] on [[February 28]], [[1997]]. Phillips and Matasareanu engaged responding patrol officers in a firefight when they attempted to leave the bank they had just robbed; sixteen officers and civilians were wounded before both of them were shot down. They had previously robbed multiple banks prior to their attempt in North Hollywood and were notorious for their heavy armament, which included automatic assault rifles.
The '''North Hollywood shootout''' was an armed confrontation between two heavily-armed and armored [[bank robbery|bank robbers]], [[Larry Eugene Phillips, Jr.|Larry Phillips, Jr.]] and [[Emil Matasareanu]], and [[patrol]] and [[SWAT]] officers of the [[Los Angeles Police Department]] in [[North Hollywood, California]] on [[February 28]], [[1997]]. Phillips and Matasareanu engaged responding patrol officers in a firefight when they attempted to leave the bank they had just robbed; sixteen officers and civilians were wounded before both of them were shot down. They had previously robbed multiple banks prior to their attempt in North Hollywood and were notorious for their heavy armament, which included automatic assault rifles.


The incident highlighted the growing divergence between the technology available to the police and the offensive and defensive technologies employed by criminals. Phillips and Matasareanu wore [[bulletproof vest|body armor]]. Since most handgun [[caliber#metric vs inch|calibers]] cannot penetrate body armor, law enforcement officers had difficulties until they borrowed several rifles from a nearby firearms dealer. This sparked debate in regards to the appropriate firepower for police officers to have available in case similar situations should arise in the future.
The incident highlighted the growing divergence between the technology available to patrol officers and the offensive and defensive technologies employed by criminals; police on patrol normally employ a 9mm or .40 caliber sidearm on their person, with a 12 ga. shotgun available in their cars. Phillips and Matasareanu carried fully automatic AK-47 type rifles and wore [[bulletproof vest|body armor]]. Since most handgun [[caliber#metric vs inch|calibers]] cannot penetrate body armor, law enforcement officers had a significant disadvantage until [[SWAT]] arrived with equivalent firepower. Patrol officers in the North Hollywood Shootout also borrowed several semi-automatic rifles from a nearby firearms dealer to help even the odds. The North Hollywood incident sparked debate on the appropriate firepower for patrol officers to have available in similar situations in the future.


==High Incident Bandits==
==High Incident Bandits==
Larry Phillips, Jr. and Emil Matasareanu first met at a public gym in the Los Angeles area in [[1989]].<ref name="hist"/> They had a mutual interest in [[weightlifting]] and [[bodybuilding]], but soon had a mutual interest in making money through crime.<ref name="hist"/> Phillips imported steel-plated armor-piercing ammunition for his illegally modified automatic assault rifles, and acquired [[Aramid]] to make body armor.<ref>''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Robinson, 10.</ref> In October [[1993]], Phillips and Matasareanu were arrested in [[Glendale]], northwest of [[Los Angeles, California]], for speeding.<ref>Robinson, 3.</ref> A subsequent search of their vehicle&mdash;after Phillips surrendered with a concealed weapon&mdash;found two semi-automatic rifles, two handguns, over 1,600 rounds of 7.62&nbsp;mm rifle ammunition, over 1,200 rounds of [[jacketed hollow point]] 9&nbsp;mm and .45 caliber handgun ammunition, [[radio scanner]]s, [[smoke bombs]], [[improvised explosive devices]], body armor vests, and three different California [[license plate]]s.<ref>Rehder and Dillow, 255&ndash;256; Robinson, 4&ndash;5.</ref> Though they were initially charged with conspiracy to commit robbery,<ref>Robinson, 11&ndash;12.</ref> neither of them served more than 100 days in jail, though they each were put on three years' probation.<ref>Rehder and Dillow, 257.</ref> After their release, most of their seized property was returned to them.<ref>Rehder and Dillow, 257; Robinson, 12.</ref>
Larry Phillips, Jr. and Emil Matasareanu first met at a public gym in the Los Angeles area in [[1989]].<ref name="hist"/> They had a mutual interest in [[weightlifting]] and [[bodybuilding]], but soon had a mutual interest in making money through crime.<ref name="hist"/> Phillips imported steel-plated armor-piercing ammunition for his illegally modified automatic assault rifles, and acquired [[Aramid]] to make body armor.<ref>''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Robinson, 10.</ref> In October [[1993]], Phillips and Matasareanu were arrested in [[Glendale]], northwest of [[Los Angeles, California]], for speeding.<ref>Robinson, 3.</ref> A subsequent search of their vehicle&mdash;after Phillips surrendered with a concealed weapon&mdash;found two semi-automatic rifles, two handguns, over 1,600 rounds of 7.62&nbsp;mm rifle ammunition, over 1,200 rounds of 9&nbsp;mm and .45 caliber handgun ammunition, [[radio scanner]]s, [[smoke bombs]], [[improvised explosive devices]], body armor vests, and three different California [[license plate]]s.<ref>Rehder and Dillow, 255&ndash;256; Robinson, 4&ndash;5.</ref> Though they were initially charged with conspiracy to commit robbery,<ref>Robinson, 11&ndash;12.</ref> neither of them served more than 100 days in jail, though they each were put on three years' probation.<ref>Rehder and Dillow, 257.</ref> After their release, most of their seized property was returned to them.<ref>Rehder and Dillow, 257; Robinson, 12.</ref>


Phillips and Matasareanu were dubbed the "High Incident Bandits" by investigators due to the heavy weaponry they had used in three bank robberies prior to their attempt in North Hollywood.<ref name="critical"/> Sometime in [[1995]], the pair ambushed a Brinks armored car and killed one guard in the robbery; in May [[1996]], they robbed two branches of Bank of America in [[San Fernando, California|San Fernando]]—they stole approximately [[USD|$]]1.5 million.<ref>Rehder and Dillow, 258&ndash;259; Robinson, 12.</ref> On the morning of February 28, 1997, after months of preparation including extensive reconnoitering of their intended target&mdash;the Bank of America branch on Laurel Canyon Boulevard&mdash;Phillips and Matasareanu loaded three fully automatic [[AK-47|AKM]] assault rifles, an [[HK91]] rifle, an [[AR-15]] rifle; two 9&nbsp;mm [[Beretta 92F]] handguns and a .38 caliber revolver; and approximately 3,300 rounds of ammunition&mdash;in [[banana clip|banana]] and [[drum magazine]]s&mdash;into a white sedan and made their way from their apartment to the bank.<ref name="criticalshootout"/> They wore their homemade body armor, as well as metal [[trauma plate]]s to protect vital organs, and they took [[phenobarbitol]] to calm their nerves.<ref name="criticalrob13">''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Robinson, 13.</ref>
Phillips and Matasareanu were dubbed the "High Incident Bandits" by investigators due to the heavy weaponry they had used in three bank robberies prior to their attempt in North Hollywood.<ref name="critical"/> Sometime in [[1995]], the pair ambushed a Brinks armored car and killed one guard in the robbery; in May [[1996]], they robbed two branches of Bank of America in [[San Fernando, California|San Fernando]]—they stole approximately [[USD|$]]1.5 million.<ref>Rehder and Dillow, 258&ndash;259; Robinson, 12.</ref> On the morning of February 28, 1997, after months of preparation including extensive reconnoitering of their intended target&mdash;the Bank of America branch on Laurel Canyon Boulevard&mdash;Phillips and Matasareanu loaded three fully automatic [[AK-47|AKM]] assault rifles, an [[HK91]] rifle, an [[AR-15]] rifle; two 9&nbsp;mm [[Beretta 92F]] handguns and a .38 caliber revolver; and approximately 3,300 rounds of ammunition&mdash;in [[banana clip|banana]] and [[drum magazine]]s&mdash;into a white sedan and made their way from their apartment to the bank.<ref name="criticalshootout"/> They wore their homemade body armor, as well as metal [[trauma plate]]s to protect vital organs, and they took [[phenobarbitol]] to calm their nerves.<ref name="criticalrob13">''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Robinson, 13.</ref>
Line 27: Line 27:
Phillips and Matasareanu arrived at the [[Bank of America]] branch office at the intersection of Laurel Canyon Blvd. and Archwood St. in [[North Hollywood]] around 9:17 a.m., and set their watch alarms for 8 minutes, which was the amount of time they estimated it would take for law enforcement officials to respond. (Phillips had been using a radio scanner to listen to police transmissions.)<ref name="criticalrob13"/> As they walked into the bank, however, dressed in dark clothes from head to toe and armed with an assault rifle each, a patrol car of the LAPD was driving down Laurel Canyon—and the officers in the car radioed in a possible 211, code for an armed robbery.<ref>''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Hays and Sjoquist, 124.</ref> Inside the bank, Phillips and Matasareanu forced the assistant manager to open the vault; they fired at least 100 rounds to scare those inside the bank so that there would be no resistance.<ref>''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Stunned police, residents cope with aftermath.</ref> They were able to get just over [[United States dollar|$]]300,000, since that day's money delivery had not yet arrived.<ref name="critical"/> At 9:38 a.m., Phillips exited the bank through its north doorway, Matasareanu exited through its south doorway, and they encountered dozens of LAPD patrol officers who had arrived after the first-responding officers radioed a [[Ten-code|"shots fired" call]].<ref>''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; LAPD Shoot-Out With Bank Robbers.</ref>
Phillips and Matasareanu arrived at the [[Bank of America]] branch office at the intersection of Laurel Canyon Blvd. and Archwood St. in [[North Hollywood]] around 9:17 a.m., and set their watch alarms for 8 minutes, which was the amount of time they estimated it would take for law enforcement officials to respond. (Phillips had been using a radio scanner to listen to police transmissions.)<ref name="criticalrob13"/> As they walked into the bank, however, dressed in dark clothes from head to toe and armed with an assault rifle each, a patrol car of the LAPD was driving down Laurel Canyon—and the officers in the car radioed in a possible 211, code for an armed robbery.<ref>''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Hays and Sjoquist, 124.</ref> Inside the bank, Phillips and Matasareanu forced the assistant manager to open the vault; they fired at least 100 rounds to scare those inside the bank so that there would be no resistance.<ref>''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Stunned police, residents cope with aftermath.</ref> They were able to get just over [[United States dollar|$]]300,000, since that day's money delivery had not yet arrived.<ref name="critical"/> At 9:38 a.m., Phillips exited the bank through its north doorway, Matasareanu exited through its south doorway, and they encountered dozens of LAPD patrol officers who had arrived after the first-responding officers radioed a [[Ten-code|"shots fired" call]].<ref>''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; LAPD Shoot-Out With Bank Robbers.</ref>


Phillips and Matasareanu engaged the officers in a firefight, spraying armor-piercing ([[full metal jacket]]) rounds into the patrol cars that had been positioned on Laurel Canyon in front of the bank. The patrol officers were armed with standard [[Beretta 92F/FS|Beretta 92FS]] 9 mm [[pistol]]s and .38 caliber [[revolver]]s, and some also carried Ithaca [[12-gauge]] [[pump-action]] [[shotgun]]s, but the body armor worn by Phillips and Matasareanu was strong enough to withstand them.<ref name="critical">''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out".</ref> Multiple officers and civilians were wounded in the 7 minutes between when the shooting began and Matasareanu entered their white sedan to make a getaway; Phillips remained outside of the vehicle and continued firing upon the police.<ref name="critical"/> A TAC (tactical) alert was issued, and 18 minutes after the shooting had begun, a [[SWAT]] team&mdash;armed with automatic weapons&mdash;arrived in response to the alert and engaged Phillips and Matasareanu; they also commandeered an armored truck which they used to extract wounded civilians and officers who were pinned down.<ref name="critical"/> A nearby gun shop provided the outgunned officers with multiple rifles, including Colt [[AR-15]]s, the civilian version of the American [[M-16 rifle]].<ref>Prengaman, 2; Robinson, 13; Stunned police, residents cope with aftermath.</ref>
Phillips and Matasareanu engaged the officers in a firefight, spraying 7.62mm rifle rounds into the patrol cars that had been positioned on Laurel Canyon in front of the bank. The patrol officers were armed with standard [[Beretta 92F/FS|Beretta 92FS]] 9 mm [[pistol]]s and .38 caliber [[revolver]]s, and some also carried [[12-gauge]] [[pump-action]] [[shotgun]]s, but the body armor worn by Phillips and Matasareanu was strong enough to withstand them.<ref name="critical">''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out".</ref> Multiple officers and civilians were wounded in the 7 minutes between when the shooting began and Matasareanu entered their white sedan to make a getaway; Phillips remained outside of the vehicle and continued firing upon the police.<ref name="critical"/> A TAC (tactical) alert was issued, and 18 minutes after the shooting had begun, a [[SWAT]] team&mdash;armed with automatic weapons&mdash;arrived in response to the alert and engaged Phillips and Matasareanu; they also commandeered an armored truck which they used to extract wounded civilians and officers who were pinned down.<ref name="critical"/> A nearby gun shop provided patrol officers with semi-automatic rifles, including Colt [[AR-15]]s, the civilian version of the American [[M-16 rifle]].<ref>Prengaman, 2; Robinson, 13; Stunned police, residents cope with aftermath.</ref>


[[Image:Nhshootout.png|thumb|300px|Map of the area around the Bank of America (blue) and events during the shootout. A red "X" marks the spot where Phillips and Matasareanu were shot down.]]
[[Image:Nhshootout.png|thumb|300px|Map of the area around the Bank of America (blue) and events during the shootout. A red "X" marks the spot where Phillips and Matasareanu were shot down.]]
Line 40: Line 40:
[[Image:Iexplore111.JPG|thumb|210px|left|The illegally-modified automatic AR-15 with a [[drum magazine]] used by Matasareanu, photographed at the location where he was shot down. The dark item in the background marked "25" is the mask that he wore.]]
[[Image:Iexplore111.JPG|thumb|210px|left|The illegally-modified automatic AR-15 with a [[drum magazine]] used by Matasareanu, photographed at the location where he was shot down. The dark item in the background marked "25" is the mask that he wore.]]


The LAPD patrol officers were not adequately armed or protected to deal with such criminals. The gunmen were firing large caliber rounds from automatic rifles while being protected by body armor. The officers' handguns and shotguns could not penetrate through the suspects' armor, while the suspects' weapons were capable of severely wounding officers and bystanders even through objects normally considered safe cover. Though Phillips was shot by a sniper as he shot himself, had Matasareanu worn body armor on his legs, the outcome of the shootout may have been different.<ref name="critical"/> The ineffectiveness of the pistol rounds and shotgun shells in penetrating their body armor led to a trend in the United States towards arming selected police patrol officers with both [[semi-automatic firearm|semi-automatic]] and [[selective-fire]] .223 caliber/5.56 mm M-16/AR-15 type assault rifles.<ref name="critical"/> Seven months after the incident, [[The Pentagon]] gave 600 surplus M-16s to the LAPD;<ref>LAPD gets M-16s.</ref> other cities, like [[Miami]], also moved to supply patrol officers, not just SWAT teams, with heavier firepower.<ref>LAPD gets M-16s; LAPD museum showcases department's good, bad, ugly.</ref> LAPD patrol vehicles now carry AR-15s as standard issue, with bulletproof [[Kevlar]] plating in their doors as well.<ref>Prengaman, 2.</ref>
The LAPD patrol officers were not adequately armed or protected to deal with such criminals. The gunmen were firing large caliber rounds from automatic rifles while being protected by body armor. The officers' handguns and shotguns could not penetrate through the suspects' armor, while the suspects' weapons were capable of severely wounding officers and bystanders even through "cover." Though Phillips was shot by a sniper as he shot himself, had Matasareanu worn body armor on his legs, the outcome of the shootout may have been different.<ref name="critical"/> The ineffectiveness of the pistol rounds and shotgun shells in penetrating their body armor led to a trend in the United States towards arming selected police patrol officers with [[semi-automatic firearm|semi-automatic]] 5.56 mm AR-15 type rifles.<ref name="critical"/> Seven months after the incident, [[The Pentagon]] gave 600 surplus M-16s to the LAPD;<ref>LAPD gets M-16s.</ref> other cities, like [[Miami]], also moved to supply patrol officers, not just SWAT teams, with heavier firepower.<ref>LAPD gets M-16s; LAPD museum showcases department's good, bad, ugly.</ref> LAPD patrol vehicles now carry AR-15s as standard issue, with bulletproof [[Kevlar]] plating in their doors as well.<ref>Prengaman, 2.</ref> Many local police departments now issue AR-15-type rifles to patrol officers, rather than just 12 ga. shotguns.


The LAPD was later criticized for not allowing Matasareanu to receive medical attention immediately, which could have been life-saving; the department countered by stating that ambulance personnel were following standard procedure in hostile situations by refusing to enter "the hot zone", as Matasareanu was still considered to be dangerous.<ref name="critical"/> Some reports indicate that he was lying on the pavement with no weapons for approximately an hour before ambulances arrived.<ref>''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Jury Unsure If Cops Let Shooter Die.</ref> A lawsuit, on the behalf of Matasareanu's children, was filed against members of the LAPD, claiming that Matasareanu's civil rights were violated and that he was allowed to bleed out.<ref>Lawsuit accuses L.A. police of letting wounded gunman die; Prengaman, 2.</ref> The lawsuit was tried in [[United States District Court]] in February and March [[2000]], and ended in a [[mistrial]] with the [[jury]] [[deadlock]]ed.<ref>Jury Unsure If Cops Let Shooter Die; Mistrial Declared in Case Stemming From Shootout.</ref> The suit was later dropped when Matasareanu's family agreed to dismiss the action with a waiver of [[malicious prosecution]].<ref>Law Offices of Goldberg and Gage, North Hollywood Shootout.</ref>
The LAPD was later criticized for not allowing Matasareanu to receive medical attention immediately, which could have been life-saving; the department countered by stating that ambulance personnel were following standard procedure in hostile situations by refusing to enter "the hot zone", as Matasareanu was still considered to be dangerous.<ref name="critical"/> Some reports indicate that he was lying on the pavement with no weapons for approximately an hour before ambulances arrived.<ref>''Critical Situation'', "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Jury Unsure If Cops Let Shooter Die.</ref> A lawsuit, on the behalf of Matasareanu's children, was filed against members of the LAPD, claiming that Matasareanu's civil rights were violated and that he was allowed to bleed out.<ref>Lawsuit accuses L.A. police of letting wounded gunman die; Prengaman, 2.</ref> The lawsuit was tried in [[United States District Court]] in February and March [[2000]], and ended in a [[mistrial]] with the [[jury]] [[deadlock]]ed.<ref>Jury Unsure If Cops Let Shooter Die; Mistrial Declared in Case Stemming From Shootout.</ref> The suit was later dropped when Matasareanu's family agreed to dismiss the action with a waiver of [[malicious prosecution]].<ref>Law Offices of Goldberg and Gage, North Hollywood Shootout.</ref>

Revision as of 04:20, 23 August 2007

North Hollywood shootout
File:NhshootoutNshot.jpg
SWAT officers exchange gunfire with Emil Matasareanu, one of two heavily armed bank robbers.
LocationNorth Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
DateFebruary 28, 1997
9:17 a.m. – 10:01 a.m. (UTC-7)
TargetA branch of Bank of America.
Attack type
Bank robbery
Deaths2 (both perpetrators)
Injured16[1]
PerpetratorsLarry Eugene Phillips, Jr.† and
Emil Dechebal Matasareanu†

The North Hollywood shootout was an armed confrontation between two heavily-armed and armored bank robbers, Larry Phillips, Jr. and Emil Matasareanu, and patrol and SWAT officers of the Los Angeles Police Department in North Hollywood, California on February 28, 1997. Phillips and Matasareanu engaged responding patrol officers in a firefight when they attempted to leave the bank they had just robbed; sixteen officers and civilians were wounded before both of them were shot down. They had previously robbed multiple banks prior to their attempt in North Hollywood and were notorious for their heavy armament, which included automatic assault rifles.

The incident highlighted the growing divergence between the technology available to patrol officers and the offensive and defensive technologies employed by criminals; police on patrol normally employ a 9mm or .40 caliber sidearm on their person, with a 12 ga. shotgun available in their cars. Phillips and Matasareanu carried fully automatic AK-47 type rifles and wore body armor. Since most handgun calibers cannot penetrate body armor, law enforcement officers had a significant disadvantage until SWAT arrived with equivalent firepower. Patrol officers in the North Hollywood Shootout also borrowed several semi-automatic rifles from a nearby firearms dealer to help even the odds. The North Hollywood incident sparked debate on the appropriate firepower for patrol officers to have available in similar situations in the future.

High Incident Bandits

Larry Phillips, Jr. and Emil Matasareanu first met at a public gym in the Los Angeles area in 1989.[2] They had a mutual interest in weightlifting and bodybuilding, but soon had a mutual interest in making money through crime.[2] Phillips imported steel-plated armor-piercing ammunition for his illegally modified automatic assault rifles, and acquired Aramid to make body armor.[3] In October 1993, Phillips and Matasareanu were arrested in Glendale, northwest of Los Angeles, California, for speeding.[4] A subsequent search of their vehicle—after Phillips surrendered with a concealed weapon—found two semi-automatic rifles, two handguns, over 1,600 rounds of 7.62 mm rifle ammunition, over 1,200 rounds of 9 mm and .45 caliber handgun ammunition, radio scanners, smoke bombs, improvised explosive devices, body armor vests, and three different California license plates.[5] Though they were initially charged with conspiracy to commit robbery,[6] neither of them served more than 100 days in jail, though they each were put on three years' probation.[7] After their release, most of their seized property was returned to them.[8]

Phillips and Matasareanu were dubbed the "High Incident Bandits" by investigators due to the heavy weaponry they had used in three bank robberies prior to their attempt in North Hollywood.[9] Sometime in 1995, the pair ambushed a Brinks armored car and killed one guard in the robbery; in May 1996, they robbed two branches of Bank of America in San Fernando—they stole approximately $1.5 million.[10] On the morning of February 28, 1997, after months of preparation including extensive reconnoitering of their intended target—the Bank of America branch on Laurel Canyon Boulevard—Phillips and Matasareanu loaded three fully automatic AKM assault rifles, an HK91 rifle, an AR-15 rifle; two 9 mm Beretta 92F handguns and a .38 caliber revolver; and approximately 3,300 rounds of ammunition—in banana and drum magazines—into a white sedan and made their way from their apartment to the bank.[11] They wore their homemade body armor, as well as metal trauma plates to protect vital organs, and they took phenobarbitol to calm their nerves.[12]

The shootout

File:PhillipsMatasareanu1.jpg
Larry Phillips, Jr. (left) and Emil Matasareanu (right) engaged LAPD officers in a firefight after robbing a branch of Bank of America.

Phillips and Matasareanu arrived at the Bank of America branch office at the intersection of Laurel Canyon Blvd. and Archwood St. in North Hollywood around 9:17 a.m., and set their watch alarms for 8 minutes, which was the amount of time they estimated it would take for law enforcement officials to respond. (Phillips had been using a radio scanner to listen to police transmissions.)[12] As they walked into the bank, however, dressed in dark clothes from head to toe and armed with an assault rifle each, a patrol car of the LAPD was driving down Laurel Canyon—and the officers in the car radioed in a possible 211, code for an armed robbery.[13] Inside the bank, Phillips and Matasareanu forced the assistant manager to open the vault; they fired at least 100 rounds to scare those inside the bank so that there would be no resistance.[14] They were able to get just over $300,000, since that day's money delivery had not yet arrived.[9] At 9:38 a.m., Phillips exited the bank through its north doorway, Matasareanu exited through its south doorway, and they encountered dozens of LAPD patrol officers who had arrived after the first-responding officers radioed a "shots fired" call.[15]

Phillips and Matasareanu engaged the officers in a firefight, spraying 7.62mm rifle rounds into the patrol cars that had been positioned on Laurel Canyon in front of the bank. The patrol officers were armed with standard Beretta 92FS 9 mm pistols and .38 caliber revolvers, and some also carried 12-gauge pump-action shotguns, but the body armor worn by Phillips and Matasareanu was strong enough to withstand them.[9] Multiple officers and civilians were wounded in the 7 minutes between when the shooting began and Matasareanu entered their white sedan to make a getaway; Phillips remained outside of the vehicle and continued firing upon the police.[9] A TAC (tactical) alert was issued, and 18 minutes after the shooting had begun, a SWAT team—armed with automatic weapons—arrived in response to the alert and engaged Phillips and Matasareanu; they also commandeered an armored truck which they used to extract wounded civilians and officers who were pinned down.[9] A nearby gun shop provided patrol officers with semi-automatic rifles, including Colt AR-15s, the civilian version of the American M-16 rifle.[16]

Map of the area around the Bank of America (blue) and events during the shootout. A red "X" marks the spot where Phillips and Matasareanu were shot down.

At 9:51 a.m., Phillips, who had been using the getaway vehicle as cover, split up from Matasareanu, turned east on Archwood St., and continued to fire at the police with his AKM.[17] He reloaded the assault rifle with a 100-round drum magazine shortly before he was shot in the left thumb, which may have prevented him from removing the shell that caused a stovepipe malfunction in his AKM.[9] He set it down, pulled out a Beretta pistol, and continued firing at the police with his unwounded right hand. He dropped the pistol and picked it up, and shortly thereafter, Phillips placed the muzzle of his pistol under his chin and apparently shot himself while a round from a police sniper's rifle simultaneously severed his spine.[18] The question remains as to whether Phillips intentionally committed suicide or accidentally squeezed the trigger when his spine was severed while attempting to reload his weapon one-handed.[2]

Matasareanu's vehicle was rendered nearly inoperable after its tires were blown out.[9] At 9:56 a.m., he commandeered a pickup truck on Archwood, three blocks east of where Phillips was shot down, and transferred all of his weapons and ammunition from the getaway car to the truck.[19] However, Matasareanu was unable to start the truck since its owner had taken the keys with him when he fled.[9] A patrol car driven by SWAT officers quickly arrived—Matasareanu left the truck, took cover behind the original getaway car, and engaged them immediately. At least one SWAT officer fired his M-16 below the cars and wounded Matasareanu in his unprotected lower legs, and he soon surrendered.[9] The police radioed for an ambulance, but Matasareanu succumbed to his wounds by the time the ambulance had reached the scene.

Most of the incident, including the death of Phillips and the capture of Matasareanu, was captured on tape by news helicopters that hovered over the scene and televised the action as events unfolded.[11] Over 300 various law enforcement officers had responded to the city-wide TAC alert.[20] By the time the shooting had stopped, Phillips and Matasareanu had fired about 1,300 rounds.[9] Phillips was hit 11 times, including the self-inflicted shot to the head; Matasareanu was hit 29 times, and died from shock caused by blood loss.[11]

Aftermath and controversy

The illegally-modified automatic AR-15 with a drum magazine used by Matasareanu, photographed at the location where he was shot down. The dark item in the background marked "25" is the mask that he wore.

The LAPD patrol officers were not adequately armed or protected to deal with such criminals. The gunmen were firing large caliber rounds from automatic rifles while being protected by body armor. The officers' handguns and shotguns could not penetrate through the suspects' armor, while the suspects' weapons were capable of severely wounding officers and bystanders even through "cover." Though Phillips was shot by a sniper as he shot himself, had Matasareanu worn body armor on his legs, the outcome of the shootout may have been different.[9] The ineffectiveness of the pistol rounds and shotgun shells in penetrating their body armor led to a trend in the United States towards arming selected police patrol officers with semi-automatic 5.56 mm AR-15 type rifles.[9] Seven months after the incident, The Pentagon gave 600 surplus M-16s to the LAPD;[21] other cities, like Miami, also moved to supply patrol officers, not just SWAT teams, with heavier firepower.[22] LAPD patrol vehicles now carry AR-15s as standard issue, with bulletproof Kevlar plating in their doors as well.[23] Many local police departments now issue AR-15-type rifles to patrol officers, rather than just 12 ga. shotguns.

The LAPD was later criticized for not allowing Matasareanu to receive medical attention immediately, which could have been life-saving; the department countered by stating that ambulance personnel were following standard procedure in hostile situations by refusing to enter "the hot zone", as Matasareanu was still considered to be dangerous.[9] Some reports indicate that he was lying on the pavement with no weapons for approximately an hour before ambulances arrived.[24] A lawsuit, on the behalf of Matasareanu's children, was filed against members of the LAPD, claiming that Matasareanu's civil rights were violated and that he was allowed to bleed out.[25] The lawsuit was tried in United States District Court in February and March 2000, and ended in a mistrial with the jury deadlocked.[26] The suit was later dropped when Matasareanu's family agreed to dismiss the action with a waiver of malicious prosecution.[27]

The year following the shootout, 19 officers of the LAPD received the Medal of Valor for their actions,[28] and met President Bill Clinton.[29] In 2003, a film about the incident was produced, entitled 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out. In 2004, the Los Angeles Police Department Museum opened an exhibit featuring two life-size mannequins of Phillips and Matasareanu fitted with the body armor they wore, as well as the weaponry they used in the firefight.[30]

Notes

  1. ^ Stunned police, residents cope with aftermath.
  2. ^ a b c Shootout!, "North Hollywood Shootout".
  3. ^ Critical Situation, "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Robinson, 10.
  4. ^ Robinson, 3.
  5. ^ Rehder and Dillow, 255–256; Robinson, 4–5.
  6. ^ Robinson, 11–12.
  7. ^ Rehder and Dillow, 257.
  8. ^ Rehder and Dillow, 257; Robinson, 12.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Critical Situation, "North Hollywood Shoot-out".
  10. ^ Rehder and Dillow, 258–259; Robinson, 12.
  11. ^ a b c Critical Situation, "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Shootout!, "North Hollywood Shootout".
  12. ^ a b Critical Situation, "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Robinson, 13.
  13. ^ Critical Situation, "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Hays and Sjoquist, 124.
  14. ^ Critical Situation, "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Stunned police, residents cope with aftermath.
  15. ^ Critical Situation, "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; LAPD Shoot-Out With Bank Robbers.
  16. ^ Prengaman, 2; Robinson, 13; Stunned police, residents cope with aftermath.
  17. ^ LAPD Shoot-Out With Bank Robbers.
  18. ^ Prengaman, 1; Shootout!, "North Hollywood Shootout".
  19. ^ Critical Situation, "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; LAPD Shoot-Out With Bank Robbers.
  20. ^ Hays and Sjoquist, 124; Shootout!, "North Hollywood Shootout".
  21. ^ LAPD gets M-16s.
  22. ^ LAPD gets M-16s; LAPD museum showcases department's good, bad, ugly.
  23. ^ Prengaman, 2.
  24. ^ Critical Situation, "North Hollywood Shoot-out"; Jury Unsure If Cops Let Shooter Die.
  25. ^ Lawsuit accuses L.A. police of letting wounded gunman die; Prengaman, 2.
  26. ^ Jury Unsure If Cops Let Shooter Die; Mistrial Declared in Case Stemming From Shootout.
  27. ^ Law Offices of Goldberg and Gage, North Hollywood Shootout.
  28. ^ 1998 Medal of Valor Recipients.
  29. ^ Prengaman, 3.
  30. ^ Dalton, 2–3; LAPD museum showcases department's good, bad, ugly.

References

  • "1998 Medal of Valor Recipients". City of Los Angeles. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
  • "North Hollywood Shoot-out". Critical Situation. Season 1. Episode 1. 2007-06-12. National Geographic Channel.
  • Dalton, C. David (2004). "LAPD Museum Exhibit Development: North Hollywood Bank Shootout". Los Angeles Police Historical Society Bi-monthly Newsletter (5). Retrieved 2007-08-14. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  • "Jury Unsure If Cops Let Shooter Die". CBS News. 2000. Retrieved 2007-06-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  • "LAPD Shoot-Out With Bank Robbers". ENN. 1997-02-28. Retrieved 2007-06-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  • "LAPD gets M-16s". CNN. 1997-09-22. Retrieved 2007-08-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  • "LAPD museum showcases department's good, bad, ugly". USATODAY.com. 2004-07-06. Retrieved 2007-08-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  • "Lawsuit accuses L.A. police of letting wounded gunman die". CNN. 2000-02-28. Retrieved 2007-06-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  • Hays, Thomas (2005). Los Angeles Police Department. Arcadia Publishing. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: year (link) ISBN 0-7385-3025-5.
  • "Mistrial Declared in Case Stemming From Shootout". The New York Times. 2000-03-17. Retrieved 2007-06-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  • "North Hollywood Shootout". Law Offices of Goldberg and Gage. 2005. Retrieved 2007-06-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  • Prengaman, Peter (2007-03-01). "LA Marks 10th Anniversary of Shootout". ABC News. Retrieved 2007-08-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  • Rehder, William (2003). Where the Money Is: True Tales from the Bank Robbery Capital of the World. Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: year (link) ISBN 0-3930-5156-0.
  • Robinson, Paul (1999). Would You Convict?: Seventeen Cases That Challenged the Law. New York: New York University Press. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link) ISBN 0-8147-7531-4.
  • "North Hollywood Shootout". Shootout!. Season 1. 2005-09-13. History Channel. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  • "Stunned police, residents cope with aftermath of L.A. shootout". CNN. 1997-03-01. Retrieved 2007-06-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

34°11′31″N 118°23′47″W / 34.19194°N 118.39639°W / 34.19194; -118.39639

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=North_Hollywood_shootout&oldid=153080448"