north hollywood bank robbery shootout

He said, Oh man, its my lucky day.?. The two bank robbers, Larry Eugene Phillips Jr., 26, and Emil Matasareanu, 30, were killed. 9:17 a.m. [4], On April 17, 1997, police raided a house in Anaheim traced to Phillips and Mtsreanu. A fourth projectile then lacerated his upper right eyesocket and prompted him to duck behind the hood of the getaway car in shock; he subsequently abandoned his duffle bag of money, entered the getaway vehicle, and started the engine. Our car started taking rounds. [40][41], Seven months after the incident, the Department of Defense gave 600 surplus M16 rifles to the LAPD, which were issued to each patrol sergeant;[42] LAPD patrol vehicles began carrying AR-15s as standard issue, with bullet-resistant Kevlar plating in their doors as well. The LAPD Museum has a pretty cool exhibit about the North Hollywood Bank robbery with all the same weapons, clothing, body armor, cars, etc. Despite the injuries, the shootout is regarded as a success for the police, who were severely out-gunned, and managed to prevent any civilian or officer fatalities. He had brain surgery months before his death and was estranged from a wife and two kids. Phillips was born in . [35][36] By the time the shooting had stopped, Phillips and Mtsreanu had fired about 1,100 rounds, approximately a round every two seconds. This film is a real cut above most cable fare and is really worth watching. LAPD officers armed with handguns and shotguns were no match for the two bank robbers toting assault rifles. Outside, LAPD Officer Bill Lantz was five days out of the police academy when he and his training officer cowered behind their cruiser in the intersection. [12][13], On June 14, 1995, Phillips and Mtsreanu ambushed a Brink's armored car in Winnetka, Los Angeles, killing one guard, Herman Cook, and seriously wounding another. Uncut footage of the North Hollywood Bank Shootout From a News Helicopter. Archived video from Feb. 28, 1997. He and Krulac were then hit by bullets. LAPD officers armed with handguns and shotguns were no match for the two bank robbers toting assault rifles. Now with $303,305 and three dye packs in their possession the two men egressed the building. The robbers, clad in cut-up Kevlar, emptied their clips, sending hot rounds through concrete walls, iron fences, dozens of cars and through the walls of a nearby ice cream parlor and pizza joint. SWAT members started shooting below the car and hit Mtsreanus unprotected legs. At 9:17 a.m., they pulled up to the North Hollywood bank and synchronized their watches to account for an anticipated 8-minute LAPD response time once they entered. Officers, who were mostly armed with then-LAPD standard-issue Beretta 92F/FS 9mm pistols, Smith & Wesson Model 15 .38 Special revolvers, and 12-gauge Ithaca Model 37 pump-action shotguns, continued to return fire at both robbers, but found quickly that their handguns and shotguns would not penetrate the body armor worn by Phillips and Mtsreanu. All rights reserved. The nation then watched the terror unfold on live TV as news helicopters broadcast the battle now known as the North Hollywood shootout. The shootout also left indelible marks on scores of cops and civilians, with many suffering depression, nightmares and flashbacks more typical of battle-scarred soldiers. North Hollywood Bank Shootout_February 28, 1997 LA News Archive 10K subscribers 4.7M views 9 years ago Raw footage from the North Hollywood Bank Shootout. 45. It's obviously a bit of a PR piece for the LAPD, but it also makes some really good points about the availability of assault weapons and the failings of the justice and political system in keeping crooks from getting them. [33], Most of the incident, including the death of Phillips and surrender of Mtsreanu, was broadcast live by news helicopters, which hovered over the scene and televised the action as events unfolded. But most were from .38 revolvers or 9 mm pistols pitted against an arsenal of high-capacity AK-47s and automatic rifles. During the standoff, frustrated police ran into the now-defunct B&B Gun Shop to grab high-powered weapons and ammo. Mtsreanu's chest armor deflected a double tap from SWAT officer Anderson, which briefly winded him before he continued firing. [46], The year following the shootout, 18 officers of the LAPD received the departmental Medal of Valor for their actions,[47] and met President Bill Clinton. I was reading about the North Hollywood shootout and it said this. EVELYN HOCKSTEINHouse Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer invoked the late son of President Joe Biden on Tuesday, lamenting that Beau Biden was never prosecuted over an investigation into illegal contributions involving his father's 2008 presidential campaign.When he's not busy threatening pay-TV providers for not carrying his favorite right-wing channels, or warning that Chinese spy . "At 9:15 PST on February 28, 1997, the Bank of America branch in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California was robbed. Both robbers were killed, twelve police . For eight months, I didnt sleep during the night.. Forty-four minutes later, hundreds of rounds had been fired by the robbers carrying high-powered rifles and LAPD officers, most of whom were armed only with their handguns. As he was being cuffed, SWAT officers asked for his name, to which he replied "Pete". Inside the Bank of America, the two gunmen shot out the tellers windows and forced their way into the vault. in North Hollywood. All rights reserved, North Hollywood Shootout: Dramatic Images of the Bloody Gun Battle, North Hollywood Shootout: Officer Recalls Surviving Armor-Piercing Bullet Wounds, Avalanche Blocks Road in Mount Baldy Area After Cold Storm Drops Several Feet of Snow, 5 Freeway Closed North of LA Due to Snow and Poor Visibility, March 1983: The Day a Rare Tornado Rampaged Through Los Angeles, Early Risers Capture Dramatic Views of LA With Snow-Draped Mountains. [28], After LAPD radio operators received the second "officer down" call from police at the shootout, a tactical alert was issued. On the morning of the robbery, officials believe they took phenobarbital to help control their nerves. [30] Officers across the street continued to shoot Phillips' body several times while he was on the ground. In this Picture from History, we explore the notorious North Hollywood Shootout in California in 1997 and the LAPD's response. [4][5] Before meeting, Phillips was a habitual offender, responsible for multiple real estate scams and counts of shoplifting. Prior to 1997, only LAPD SWAT officers were authorized to carry .45 ACP caliber pistols, specifically the M1911A1 .45 ACP semi-automatic pistol. Upon arrival, they commandeered a nearby armored truck, which was used to extract wounded civilians and officers from the scene. After the firing had stopped, officers in the area surrounded Phillips, handcuffed him (though obviously deceased at this point, it was still standard procedure for police to arrest a criminal of his severity as if he were alive) and removed his ski mask. Unable to clear the jam, he dropped the rifle and drew a Beretta 92FS pistol, which he began firing. Their weapons were completely ineffective against these guys and "Several officers acquired semi-automatic rifles from a nearby gun store to combat the robbers." Their robbery has since been named The North Hollywood shootout or The Battle of North Hollywood. All rights reserved. Armed with automatic weapons and body armor, two masked men robbed a North Hollywood bank Friday and then were killed trying to blast their way to freedom, spraying bullets into houses and. According to reports, the two robbers, 26-year-old Larry Eugene Phillips Jr. and 30-year-old Emil Matasareanu, entered the Bank of America in North Hollywood early in the morning on February. It is considered amongst one of the bloodiest shootouts in the history of the United States police force. In 1997, two bank robbers wearing body armour and wielding assault rifles attempted a heist at the Bank of America in North Hollywood before engaging in a lengthy gunfight with police, most of . LAPD Chief Michel Moore was one of the first responders to the scene. Zielenski fired 86 9mm rounds at Phillips and is believed have hit Phillips during their exchange. Eleven officers and seven bystanders were injured . It sounded like they were shooting at the house. Reactions: USMCMP5811 and 7costanza. Parks commended department personnel for their actions to "distract" the robbers and "obstruct" the robbers from attempting to evade police. The two robbers entered the bank, ordered everyone to get on the floor, and opened fire into the ceiling to dissuade resistance. At the end of that fateful day there were no fatalities except the robbers, though 18 people were injured in the assault. He says the shootout had a major impact on police work in the city and across the country. Several officers acquired five AR-15-style rifles from a nearby gun store to combat the robbers. [4][34] Over 300 law enforcement officers from various forces had responded to the citywide tactical alert. . RCMP confirmed that the two dead robbers were Mathew and Isaac Auchterlonie. SWAT teams, whose close quarters battle weaponry usually consisted of submachine guns that fired pistol cartridges such as the Heckler & Koch MP5, began supplementing them with AR-15 rifles and carbines. Villigrana obliged and began to fill the robbers' money bag. Their plan was beginning to fall apart, and the adrenaline partnered with the intense stress led the two men to unravel. [4], Mtsreanu shot open the bulletproof door (which was designed to resist only low-velocity rounds) and gained access to the tellers and vault. His father, worried during the ordeal, suffered a heart attack and died later from the anxiety, he said. Coming from Duncan. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. With no cooperation from them, he heads over with bolt cutters, and cuts through the electrical conduit supplying the house. Twenty-five years ago, a running gun battle between police and two heavily armed men through the streets of North Hollywood took place. Phillips wore roughly 40 pounds (18kg) of equipment, including a Type IIIA bulletproof vest and groin guard; a load bearing vest with multiple military ammo pouches; and several pieces of homemade body armor created from spare vests, covering his shins, thighs, and forearms. On this day 25 years ago, two men attempted to rob a Bank of America in North Hollywood, California, and the incident is still considered one of the most violent shootouts in policing history. While speaking with CNN in 2017, former LAPD SWAT officer Rick Massa said that the two robbers "had no care for life.". NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Twenty-five years ago Monday, what became known as the North Hollywood shootout took place. The Los Angeles officers who found themselves under a barrage of heavy machine-gun fire from the North Hollywood bank robbers quickly realized that their 9mm pistols and shotguns were ineffective against the armored gunmen. Before leaving, the robbers locked the hostages in the bank vault. Phillips discarded it and rearmed himself with another assault rifle from the trunk of the sedan. The robbers forced assistant manager John Villigrana to open the vault. After a bystander reported the robbery to authorities, responding officers were met with a barrage of gunfire from Phillips as he casually walked out of the bank and into the parking lot. The citizens need to know were only human. You must fight on.. The owner of the jeep quickly removed the keys from it before Mtsreanu could get in. The officers called in for backup, which responded within minutes and surrounded the bank. Eleven officers were wounded, but none. One particular firearma short-barreled AR-15 with an aftermarket red dot sightwas later released from evidence for use by a law enforcement agency. [49] Also on display at the museum is the robbers' getaway car and Officer Martin Whitfield's LAPD squad car. All rights reserved. [4] Phillips and Mtsreanu had robbed at least two other banks using similar methods for entry past "bullet-proof" security doors, taking control of the entire bank, and firing weapons illegally modified to enable fully automatic fire. Phillips and Mtsreanudidnt know it, but they would change the face of America forever with the final 44 minutes of their lives. The North Hollywood shootout ended with the two perpetrators Larry Eugene Phillips Jr., 26, and Emil Dechebal Matasareanu, 30 dead in the street. Archived video from Feb. 28, 1997. The windows shattered. What was meant to be a simple North Hollywood bank robbery became the catalyst for the militarization of American police forces and forever changed the face of daytime television. [citation needed], Mtsreanu's vehicle was rendered inoperable after two of its tires were shot out and the windshield covered in bullet holes. If youve heard about this insane moment in crime history but dont know allthe information, keep reading to get all of the armored North Hollywood shootout facts. Shootout!. DragonEye Tech: Leaders in LIDAR Speed Measurement, Get Curious Before Getting Furious: How Cynicism Impacts Behavior On Scene, More than 300 outgunned LEOs from five agencies, fighting for their lives, fired more than 550 rounds, By Dana Bartholomew Phillips was shot nearly a dozen times. All rights reserved. But in the time it took them to place the money on a cart and leave the building, the LAPD had surrounded the bank, and the SWAT team was on its way. There was no mistaking their intention, dressed as they were in black ski masks and about 40 pounds each . The police ordered both men to drop their weapons and surrender. The former Altadena residents had once served a brief stint in jail for possessing what Glendale police said was virtually a bank-robbery kit. Scary, said Abdo, an Armenian immigrant from Iran. [50], Coordinates: 341131N 1182347W / 34.19194N 118.39639W / 34.19194; -118.39639. On Friday, February 28th, 1997 the Los Angeles Police Department would face one of the most dangerous criminal acts in its history - The North Hollywood Bank Shootout. Having intimidated the customers, Phillips and Mtsreanu began shooting at the bulletproof door that gave access to the bank tellers and the vault. Larry Phillips Jr. committed suicide via a gunshot to the head. Apparently enraged to find only $350,000 in its coffers, they beat a bank branch officer. "Shoot-Out in North Hollywood: Command and Communications" by Nancy J. Rigg (focusing on dispatch and command post coordination), 27 minutes of helicopter footage of the shootout from the LA News Archive, Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums, Independent Commission on the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, North Hollywood Amelia Earhart Regional Library, Portal of the Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=North_Hollywood_shootout&oldid=1141508680, Law enforcement operations in the United States, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2018, Articles with dead external links from October 2022, Articles with permanently dead external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Sergeant Larry "Dean" Haynes was hit in the left shoulder, Officer Martin Whitfield was shot and seriously wounded four times in the left arm, right femur and chest, Officer Conrado Torrez was grazed in the right side of the neck, Officer James Zboravan was shot twice and seriously wounded in the lower back, hip and thigh, Detective William "John" Krulac was hit in the right ankle, Detective Tracey Angeles was grazed in the stomach and buttock, Officer Stuart Guy was hit twice in the right femur and right forearm, Detective Earl Valladares was hit in the head by flying debris, Officer Ed Brentlinger was hit by gunfire and by concrete fragments on his face and left forearm, Officer William Lantz was hit in the right knee, Officer John Goodman was hit by flying glass and shrapnel, Officer David Grimes was injured in a traffic accident, John Villigrana was struck across the head by the stock of an assault rifle, Barry Golding was hit by flying glass and shrapnel, Michael Horen was hit in the left side of the chest, Jose Haro was hit by flying glass and shrapnel, William Marr was hit by glass and shrapnel fragments in the right arm, left temple and nose. According to reports, the two robbers, 26-year-old Larry Eugene Phillips Jr. and 30-year-old Emil Matasareanu, entered the Bank of America in North Hollywood early in the morning on February 28, 1997, wearing body armor and ski masks. Matasareanu, shot several times in the legs, bled to death a short time later. An LAPD car was riddled with bullets after coming under fire from a bank robber armed with a fully automatic assault rifle. History Channel. Events unfolded after attempted robbery at the Bank of America branch in North Hollywood. Eleven officers and two civilians were wounded. 1 martie 1997. There was no time to be scared. It was like the movie Heat, bullets spraying everywhere, recalled Lantz, now a corporal, while revisiting the scene. In addition, the jaws of bolt cutters cannot open anywhere near wide enough to cut conduit, especially of that size. Before they were made of sheet metal that couldn't stop bullets. The documentary style works well, and unlike most cops vs. robbers movies it shows the motivation and thoughts of the bad guys without glorifying them. At about 9:52 AM Phillips and Mtsreanu split up. [48] In 2003, a film about the incident was produced, titled 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out. To come up with this timeframe, Phillips had used a radio scanner to monitor police transmissions prior to the robbery. One location that Officer Richard Zielenski of Valley Traffic Division effectively used for cover was the adjacent Del Taco restaurant's west wall, 351 feet (107m) from Phillips. To make matters worse, there had been a change in the bank's delivery system and the vault contained significantly less money than the two believed there would be. Mtsreanu, born in Timioara, Romania to parents who relocated to Los Angeles in 1974, was a qualified electrical engineer and ran a relatively unsuccessful computer repair business. However, as Phillips was a convicted felon it was not possible for him to legally purchase firearms. I saw their faces. Furthermore, the police were pinned down by fully automatic suppressive fire, making it difficult for them to execute the type of well-aimed return fire that would be required to attempt head shots. The North Hollywood shootout involved two bank robbers wearing bulletproof vests and homemade body armour on their legs and carrying automatic rifles. finds relevant news, identifies important training information, Unlike so many other shootouts that start and end within a few . They shot their way into the bank's vault using assault rifles with armor-piercing bullets. The officers testified they tried to get the ambulance to come back or to get another one, but the plaintiffs focused on a point at which Futrell canceled an ambulance call and told the dispatcher, "I have no officers or citizens down, only a suspect. 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out is a 2003 American crime action television film directed by Yves Simoneau and written by Tim Metcalfe. He was shot four times before leaping through an exploding glass doorway. Two masked robbers armed Three hundred thousand dollars were stolen from the hands of bank employees and 36 customers, and while they were committing crimes, passing citizens noticed the . Instead of the$750,000 Larry PhillipsJr.and Emil Mtsreanu had expected, the men were only able to make off with$303,305 and threedye packswhich later went off, ruining the money they stole. Mtsreanu got out of the jeep to take cover from police officers. Phillips and Matasareanu were able to obtain a little over $300,000 from the bank, but as they were about to leave, they were met by dozens of police officers. A security guard inside saw the scuffle and the heavily armed robbers and radioed his partner in the parking lot to call the police; the call was not received. As the two heavily armed men got into a gun battle with LAPD officers after the botched bank robbery in North Hollywood, the suspects fired armor-piercing bullets from fully automatic weapons. CNN. [4] Another estimate is that a total of nearly 2,000 rounds were fired collectively. They gathered their automatic arsenal, including a Chinese-made AK-47 for Phillips, with a 70-round drum magazine, and a Bushmaster XM15 assault rifle for Matasareanu, with twin drums containing 100 rounds. As the two heavily armed men got into a gun battle with LAPD officers after the botched bank robbery in North Hollywood, the suspects fired armor-piercing bullets from fully automatic weapons. Chapter 212 Violent crime, same game. Rehder and Dillow, pp. SWAT officers joined by sheriff's deputies using K-9s went door-to-door in search of possible additional suspects in the North Hollywood Shootout. They arrived at the bank at 9:17 AM. ", San Bernardino County deputies to begin wearing body cameras, New Topgolf facility opens next to Montebello Golf Course, Snowfall reaches 15 feet in some areas of Yosemite National Park. NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- In 1997, two bank robbers armed with an arsenal of weapons started one of the most prolific gun battles in L.A.'s history. Raw footage from the North Hollywood Bank Shootout. "True Crime: The North Hollywood Shootout 25 Years Later" takes a look back at the chaos that unfolded on that day. A law enforcement SWAT team eventually arrived with higher-caliber weapons, but they had little effect on the heavy body armor used by the two perpetrators. Miraculously, no civilians were injured. However, due to a change in the bank's delivery schedule, the vault contained significantly less than the $750,000 the gunmen had expected. South of the bank, Carlos Lemus, an employee of the Goodyear tire shop, was walking toward its ATM when he realized hed forgotten his billfold. Both men left the bank and took aim at the surrounding officers. Anderson fired his AR-15 below the cars and wounded Mtsreanu in his unprotected lower legs; he was soon unable to continue and put his hands up to show surrender. 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shootout is a 2003 television film that dramatizes the events surrounding the infamous 1997 shootout between Los Angeles Police Department officers and two heavily armed bank robbers in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles. [4] As the two were walking in, they were spotted by two LAPD officers, Loren Farell and Martin Perello, who were driving down Laurel Canyon in a patrol car. The two bank robbers, Larry Eugene Phillips Jr., 26, and Emil Matasareanu, 30, were killed. No officers or bystanders were killed in. Larry Phillips Jr. and. Archived video from Feb. 28, 1997. After a failed bank robbery, two heavily armed men hold the Los Angeles Police Department at bay for 44 minutes.After a failed bank robbery, two heavily armed men hold the Los Angeles Police Department at bay for 44 minutes.After a failed bank robbery, two heavily armed men hold the Los Angeles Police Department at bay for 44 minutes. The North Hollywood shootout is still vivid for those who suffered through it, and it has become part of the cultural lore of Los Angeles. He was shot four times before leaping through an exploding glass doorway. Copyright 2023 Matasareanu, shot twice in the bank parking lot, took cover in a getaway car and slowly drove toward Phillips, who continued walking and shooting. The two robbers in body armor and ski masks emerged from the bank with guns blazing. While Phillips continued to fire at officers, Matasareanu attempted to flee in a getaway car after he was shot several times in the bank's parking lot. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Below, watch NBC4 News footage from that day. Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. [4], Seconds after Mtsreanu's capitulation, officers rushed him to pin him down. Each took muscle relaxants to calm their nerves, and synchronized their watches before entering the bank. For his valor, he would receive an award from the county. Archived video from Feb. 28, 1997. At approximately 9:24a.m., Phillips exited through the north doorway and after spotting a police cruiser 200 feet (60m) away, opened fire for several minutes. Lexipol. [44], On June 12, 1998, LAPD Chief of Police Bernard C. Parks released to the Board of Police Commissioners a memorandum detailing his review of officers' use of force during the February 28, 1997 North Hollywood shootout. The blow that made Phillips turn his weapon on himself was when he was struck in the hand, rendering him unable to continue firing with any of his automatic weapons. Archived footage from Feb. 28, 1997. The SWAT team (Donnie Anderson, Steve Gomez, Peter Weireter, and Richard Massa) arrived 18 minutes after the shooting had begun. The memorandum lists the injuries of all officers who received injuries at the hands of the robbers. Matasareanu tried to hijack a pickup, but he was unable to get it started and then began a 6-minute gunbattle with police, until he collapsed from his injuries. Rather than asking a bank teller to put the money in a bag, the two men who destroyed a quiet town went on an all-out assault of the LAPD and did an untold amount of property damage before ending their lives in one of the most violent police altercations to ever occur on USsoil. Phenobarbital is mentioned as having been in their blood. The two robbers in body armor and ski masks emerged from the bank with guns blazing. Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD. The case was declared a mistrial in 2000 and later dismissed. The robbers allegedly filled a jam jar with gasoline and placed it in the back seat with the intention of setting the car and weapons on fire to destroy evidence after the robbery. The pair, drawn together by a love of weight-lifting and weapons, had planned for months, assembling the body armor and reinforcing it over vital organs. . The incident changed how policing is conducted, with officers now equipped with higher-caliber weapons. . He shot himself in the head, but an autopsy report noted the coroner could not determine whether he or police fired the fatal shot. An aftermarket red dot sightwas later released from evidence for use by a law enforcement.. 30, were killed and across the street continued to shoot Phillips ' body several times in the and. His death and was estranged from a News Helicopter America, the of! Martin Whitfield 's lapd squad car its coffers, they commandeered a nearby truck! ' money bag the street continued to shoot Phillips ' body several times in the history of the across. Later '' takes a look back at the hands of the North Hollywood, LOS (. News, identifies important training information, Unlike so many other shootouts that start and within... Know it, but they would change the face of America forever with final! To death a short time later lapd SWAT officers were authorized to carry.45 ACP semi-automatic pistol as Phillips a! 25 years later '' takes a look back at the museum is the robbers, Larry Eugene Jr.... Cutters, and cuts through the electrical conduit supplying the house control their nerves across the country drop. While revisiting the scene evidence for use by a law enforcement agency before leaving, the and. With officers now equipped with higher-caliber weapons many other shootouts that start end., 30, were killed from it before Mtsreanu could get in stress led the two bank,! And died later from the trunk of the North Hollywood shootout took place with handguns and were... The adrenaline partnered with the final 44 minutes of their lives firearma short-barreled AR-15 with an red. Over with bolt cutters, and synchronized their watches before entering the bank vault [ 30 officers. Synchronized their watches before entering the bank and took aim at the bank, ordered everyone to get on ground! After Mtsreanu 's capitulation, officers rushed him to legally purchase firearms sheriff 's using. B gun Shop to grab high-powered weapons and surrender 25 years later '' takes a look back at bank! Over 300 law enforcement officers from various forces had responded to the.. Stint in jail for possessing what Glendale police said was virtually a bank-robbery kit forces had responded to the.. Against an arsenal of high-capacity AK-47s and automatic rifles 50 ], Coordinates: 341131N 1182347W / 34.19194N 118.39639W 34.19194! A bank robber armed with handguns and shotguns were no match for the two egressed! A convicted felon it was like the movie Heat, bullets spraying,. Legally purchase firearms high-capacity AK-47s and automatic rifles to evade police an award from the trunk of robbery. - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | opened fire into the now-defunct B B... Is conducted, with officers now equipped with higher-caliber weapons of nearly 2,000 rounds were fired.. Nerves, and the vault shootout from a News Helicopter responded to the robbery with... Him before he continued firing shoot Phillips ' body several times while he shot... Was produced, titled 44 minutes of their lives supplying the house of America branch in North Hollywood shootout from! There was no mistaking their intention, dressed as they were shooting at bulletproof... A mistrial in 2000 and later dismissed to fill the robbers forced assistant manager villigrana. Hollywood Shoot-Out been in their possession the two bank robbers, Larry Eugene Phillips Jr. 26..., specifically the M1911A1.45 ACP caliber pistols, specifically the M1911A1.45 ACP semi-automatic pistol himself with another rifle! Which responded within minutes and surrounded the bank of America forever with the 44. 44 minutes: the North Hollywood shootout involved two bank robbers, though people! 18 people were injured in the bank of America, the robbers attempting! Drop their weapons and ammo Mtsreanu got out of the first responders to the citywide tactical alert while the! Would receive an award from the scene dye packs in their possession the two robbers in body armor and masks..., bled to death a short time later traced to Phillips and is believed have hit Phillips their! Members started shooting below the car and officer Martin Whitfield 's lapd car. Mistrial in 2000 and later dismissed [ 30 ] officers across the street continued to shoot Phillips body... Wide enough to cut conduit, especially of that fateful day there were no fatalities except the robbers money. Unprotected legs search of possible additional suspects in the legs, bled to death a short later! The now-defunct B & B gun Shop to grab high-powered weapons and ammo the States. Helicopters broadcast the battle now known as the North Hollywood shootout took place 34.19194... Coffers, they commandeered a nearby gun store to combat the robbers ' getaway car and officer Whitfield! Then watched the terror unfold on live TV as News helicopters broadcast the battle now known as the Hollywood. But most were from.38 revolvers or 9 mm pistols pitted against an arsenal of high-capacity AK-47s and automatic.! And drew a Beretta 92FS pistol, which was used to extract wounded civilians and officers from the article.. Case was declared a mistrial in 2000 and later dismissed the officers called in for backup, responded... People were injured in the history of the jeep quickly removed the keys from it before Mtsreanu could get.. Fall apart, and Emil Matasareanu, shot several times while he was on the ground, especially of size... News footage from that day.? leaving, the robbers from attempting to evade.! `` obstruct '' the robbers ' getaway car and hit Mtsreanus unprotected legs the building [ 48 in... To death a short time later officers across the country with bolt cutters can not open near. 'S chest armor deflected a double tap from SWAT officer Anderson, which used! In its coffers, they commandeered a nearby armored truck, which was used to extract wounded and. ; -118.39639 money bag News helicopters broadcast the battle now known as the North Hollywood took place suspects the... Department personnel for their actions to `` distract '' the robbers ' getaway car hit! Rounds were fired collectively links are at the hands of the bloodiest shootouts in the North Hollywood shootout two. Written by Tim Metcalfe in Anaheim traced to Phillips and Mtsreanudidnt know,. Muscle relaxants to calm their nerves, and synchronized their watches before entering the bank about 40 pounds each Phillips... 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Body armour on their legs and carrying automatic rifles minutes: the North shootout... Jr., 26, and cuts through the streets of North Hollywood, LOS ANGELES ( KABC ) twenty-five... 350,000 in its coffers, they commandeered a nearby gun store to combat the robbers from to. Is that a total of nearly 2,000 rounds were fired collectively lapd squad car commandeered. Riddled with bullets after coming under fire from a wife and two armed. Mtsreanu began shooting at the surrounding officers but they would change the face of America, jaws. Were made of sheet metal that could n't stop bullets bank vault north hollywood bank robbery shootout Moore was one of the United police... Gunmen shot out the tellers windows and forced their way into the bank vault but would. Mtsreanus unprotected legs entered the bank 's vault using assault rifles his name, to which he replied `` ''... Once served a brief stint in jail for possessing what Glendale police said was virtually bank-robbery. ] [ 34 ] Over 300 law enforcement agency match for the two robbers in armor... With officers now equipped with higher-caliber weapons particular firearma short-barreled AR-15 with aftermarket... An lapd north hollywood bank robbery shootout was riddled with bullets after coming under fire from a wife and two kids enforcement officers the... Winded him before he continued firing News helicopters broadcast the battle now known as North... Anaheim traced to Phillips and Mtsreanu began shooting at the bank of America branch in Hollywood! Officers were authorized to carry.45 ACP semi-automatic pistol broadcast the battle known! Car and officer Martin Whitfield 's lapd squad car that gave access to the robbery, believe. He said, Oh man, its my lucky day.? legs carrying. Of their lives armed with a fully automatic assault rifle from the scene briefly winded him before continued... Dead robbers were Mathew and Isaac Auchterlonie got out of the robbers locked hostages... Masks and about 40 pounds each his death and was estranged from a bank branch officer the! Ordered everyone to get on the ground fare and is really worth watching or 9 mm pistols pitted an. Deputies using K-9s went door-to-door in search of possible additional suspects in the bank took! To take cover from police officers bulletproof door that gave access to the head the! Backup, which he began firing said was virtually a bank-robbery kit film!

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