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Crime & heists
28 February 1997 · North Hollywood, Los Angeles
Robberies & burglariesStatus: Solved
Image: California Glendale Police Department. · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
44 minutesthe gunfight lasted; about 2,000 rounds were fired
Since 1993 Larry Phillips Jr. and Emil Mătăsăreanu had carried out several armed robberies of banks and cash transports. They had illegally converted fully automatic rifles and home-made body armour covering almost their entire bodies. Los Angeles police officers on patrol were armed with pistols and shotguns, which did little against such armour.
On the morning of 28 February 1997 the two men robbed the Bank of America branch. A patrol saw them go in and called for backup. When they came out after eight minutes with more than $300,000, the police were already there. Instead of fleeing they opened fire on officers, bystanders and a news helicopter. The fight moved through a residential area and was broadcast live.
During the fight officers fetched heavier rifles from a nearby gun shop. Phillips died in the street, from a police bullet and a shot from his own pistol. Mătăsăreanu was hit in the legs by a SWAT team and bled to death before receiving medical help; a lawsuit over this by his relatives ended without a verdict. Twelve police officers and eight civilians were injured.
The shootout showed that the police were outmatched by heavily armed offenders. Shortly afterwards the Los Angeles force received military rifles for patrol cars and heavier pistols, and other American forces followed. The event has since played a part in the debate on the militarisation of the police and on the availability of heavy weapons.