(Gene Blevins/Los Angeles Daily News)For the dozens of officers called to respond to the bank robbery in North Hollywood 15 years ago, it was like looking into the face of hell. North Hollywood Bank Robbery Feb. 28, 1997: Los Angeles, Calif. and Privacy Policy. Both robbers were killed, twelve police officers and eight civilians were injured, and numerous vehicles and other property were damaged or destroyed by the nearly 2,000 rounds of ammunition fired by the robbers and police.[1]. The SWAT team also commandeered an armored car to evacuate the wounded. The film stars Michael Madsen, Ron Livingston, and Mario Van Peebles, and is based on the 1997 North Hollywood shootout. Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD. The two robbers entered the bank, ordered everyone to get on the floor, and opened fire into the ceiling to dissuade resistance. Dean Haynes, Officers Martin Whitfield, James Zaboravan, and Stuart Guy, and Detectives William Krulac and Tracey Angeles, as well as three civilians that had taken cover behind Sgt. All rights reserved, North Hollywood Shootout: Dramatic Images of the Bloody Gun Battle, North Hollywood Shootout: Officer Recalls Surviving Armor-Piercing Bullet Wounds. LOS ANGELES LAPD Officer James Zboravan was two months and eight days out of the police academy when he faced a barrage of machine-gun fire, shot and wounded a bank robber and dove across unarmored officers to shield them with his bulletproof vest. 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. Both men had accumulated a stockpile of body armor, weapons, and ammunition which could sustain them through an hour-long shootout. According to KNBC News in Los Angeles, some officers attempted to get higher-caliber rifles from nearby gun stores to combat the assault rifles being used by the robbers. [13][15] The pair were dubbed the "High Incident Bandits" by investigators due to the weaponry they had used in three robberies prior to their attempt in North Hollywood.[4]. [4], It was speculated during news reports that Phillips had legally purchased two of the Norinco Type 56s and then illegally converted them to full automatic. [4][34] Over 300 law enforcement officers from various forces had responded to the citywide tactical alert. 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. [1], Due to the large number of injuries and rounds fired, equipment used by the robbers, and overall length of the shootout, it is regarded as one of the most intense and significant gun battles in U.S. police history. Shootout!. Across Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Jose Haro had hit the floor in his locksmith kiosk, where Zboravan and three other police officers took cover. Zielenski was also able to use this position to draw Phillips' fire away from Sgt. Between the police and the bank robbers, more than 2,000 rounds were fired in North Hollywood Shootout. Family of robber killed in L.A. shootout sues". Matasareanu, shot several times in the legs, bled to death a short time later. He recalled the detective saying of the AK-47 nightmare, I served in Vietnam. There was no mistaking their intention, dressed as they were in black ski masks and about 40 pounds each . 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out TV Movie 2003 R 1 h 43 m IMDb RATING 6.3 /10 5.3K YOUR RATING Rate Play trailer 0:31 1 Video 11 Photos Action Crime Drama After a failed bank robbery, two heavily armed men hold the Los Angeles Police Department at bay for 44 minutes. Larry Phillips and Emil Matasareanu opened fire on cops and bystanders after robbing a Bank of America in North Hollywood. Ive been shot, the dentist recalls Zboravan crying out atop the stairway. On the morning of February 28, 1997, two heavily armed men wearing body armor burst into a Bank of America branch, took a little more than $300,000 and fired their way out. Their assignment on February 28, 1997 probably would have gone off without a hitch had they not been spotted by two LAPD patrol officers as they entered the bank. [4], While still in the parking lot, Mtsreanu was shot in the right buttock, the right leg, and the left forearm. To come up with this timeframe, Phillips had used a radio scanner to monitor police transmissions prior to the robbery. ", 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. 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. Photo by David Crane. One witness described the weaponry as "army machinery." According to LAPD, at least 12 officers and two bystanders were injured. The North Hollywood shootout ended with the two perpetrators Larry Eugene Phillips Jr., 26, and Emil Dechebal Matasareanu, 30 dead in the street. Thousands of rounds were fired as two heavily armed bank robbers were confronted by LAPD officers in the streets of the San Fernando Valley. Additionally, each man had a watch sewn onto the back of one glove, in order to monitor their timing. On February 28, 1997, Larry Eugene PhillipsJr. and Emil Mtsreanuwalked into a bank in the North Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles and started the clock on 44 of the most violent minutes to ever occur in Southern California. 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. In reality, this would be incredibly dangerous, not just from electrocution, but from arc flash. [4], At 9:52a.m., Phillips turned east on Archwood Street and took cover behind a parked semi-truck where he continued to fire at the police (Lt. Michael Ranshaw, Officers Conrado Torrez, John Caprarelli, and Ed Brentlinger) until his rifle jammed. [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. By what name was 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out (2003) officially released in Canada in English? [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. Phillips walked down Archwood Street, continuing his gunbattle with police. Eleven officers were wounded, but none. The gun battle lasted 44 minutes. NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Twenty-five years ago Monday, what became known as the North Hollywood shootout took place. The two robbers were killed at the scene. [citation needed], Mtsreanu's vehicle was rendered inoperable after two of its tires were shot out and the windshield covered in bullet holes. 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. It's well done, with solid acting from old pros Madsen and Van Peebles and very tight directing. "[31], Ambulance personnel were following standard procedure in hostile situations by refusing to enter "the hot zone", as the area was not cleared and Mtsreanu was still considered to be dangerous. He bled to death while police, concerned about reports of a third masked gunman, searched the area. Unlike so many other shootouts that start and end within a few . Miraculously, no civilians were injured. Whos the doctor? [23][24][25][26], Two locations adjacent to the bank's north parking lot provided good cover for officers and detectives. All rights reserved. in North Hollywood. [12] After their release, most of their seized property was returned to them, except for the confiscated firearms and explosives. Arhivat din originalul de la 21 mai 2007. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. The police radioed for an ambulance, but Mtsreanu, loudly swearing profusely and still goading the police to shoot him, died before the ambulance and EMTs were allowed to reach the scene almost 70 minutes later. It was all broadcasted live on TV and forever changed the course of policing. The lesson is, very plainly: Just because youre shot doesnt mean youre going to die. Ten officers and four citizens were wounded in the fighting, but no one other than the suspects died. Lexipol. Haynes and Officer Whitfield, who were both wounded and had only marginal cover behind trees across Laurel Canyon Blvd. 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. 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. Director Yves Simoneau Writer Tim Metcalfe Stars Michael Madsen The High Incident Bandits' plan went belly-up the moment it began, thanks to the fact that they were spotted by two officers who were on a morning patrol and thought there was something fishy about two grown men wearing body armor,ski masks, and the arsenal of a small armywhile entering a bank. The bank was expected to have more than $750,000 to accommodate a Friday payday. Phenobarbital is mentioned as having been in their blood. Prior to 1997, only LAPD SWAT officers were authorized to carry .45 ACP caliber pistols, specifically the M1911A1 .45 ACP semi-automatic pistol. They were armed with AR-15s, and wore running shoes and shorts under their body armor, as they had been on an exercise run when they received the call. Phillips was shot nearly a dozen times. The robbers were armed with thousands of rounds of ammunition, custom fitted body armor and weapons altered to be fully automatic assault rifles. His father, worried during the ordeal, suffered a heart attack and died later from the anxiety, he said. One of the most violent days in LAPD history unfolded on live television on Feb. 28, 1997 when two bank robbers wearing body armor and wielding assault rifles engaged in a ferocious gunfight with officers on the streets of North Hollywood. Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. Officer Farell issued a call on the radio: "15-A-43, requesting assistance, we have a possible 211 in progress at the Bank of America." We only knew what happened when we saw it on the news.. Sezonul 1. [16] Mtsreanu wore only a Type IIIA bulletproof vest, but included a metal ballistic plate to protect vital organs. 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. Shoot me in the head., Like the scars still left by the hail of bullets across North Hollywood, the gunbattle would transform the Los Angeles Police Department, boosting its reputation after the Rodney King Jr. debacle, while altering its response to what became known from then on as an active shooting situation.. . The real-life gunbattle then inspired made-for-TV documentaries and movies. believing he might be a suspect from the robbery less . On February 28, 1997, two bank robbers engaged in a shootout with dozens of Los Angeles police officers in what became known as the North Hollywood Bank of America Shootout. Archived video from Feb. 28, 1997. One of the bank robbers in the Feb. 28, 1997 North Hollywood shootout fires at officers and bystanders. The North Hollywood shootout was a confrontation between two heavily armed and armored bank robbers, Larry Phillips Jr. and Emil Mtsreanu, and members of . The North Hollywood shootout was a confrontation between two heavily armed and armored bank robbers, Larry Phillips Jr. and Emil Mtsreanu, and members of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California, United States on February 28, 1997. [28], After LAPD radio operators received the second "officer down" call from police at the shootout, a tactical alert was issued. The bloody confrontation with police lasted nearly an hour. [2], Standard issue sidearms carried by most local patrol officers at the time were 9mm pistols or .38 Special revolvers; some patrol cars were also equipped with a 12-gauge shotgun. However, as Phillips was a convicted felon it was not possible for him to legally purchase firearms. Plink plink. [50], Coordinates: 341131N 1182347W / 34.19194N 118.39639W / 34.19194; -118.39639. The bloody confrontation with police lasted nearly an hour. [4], Outside, the first-responding officers heard the gunfire within the bank and made another radio call reporting "shots fired" before taking cover behind their patrol car. [14] In May 1996, they robbed two branches of Bank of America in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, stealing approximately US$1.5million. A comprehensive look at the 1997 North Hollywood Shootout detailing the lives and crimes of Larry Phillips Jr. and . The shootout continued onto a residential street adjacent to the bank until Phillips, mortally wounded, succumbed to a self-inflicted gunshot wound; Mtsreanu was incapacitated by officers three blocks away and subsequently bled to death before the arrival of paramedics more than an hour later. 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. Stunned police, residents cope with aftermath of L.A. shootout". [17] Before entering, they took the barbiturate phenobarbital, prescribed to Mtsreanu as a sedative, to calm their nerves. After the incident, the LAPD realized that their 9mm handguns were not going to suffice if there was a similar circumstance in the future, so they received 600 M-16 military rifles from the Pentagon. LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- A blaze of automatic gunfire ripped through a crowded neighborhood after several heavily-armed gunmen dressed like commandos botched a bank robbery. The two bank robbers, Larry Eugene Phillips Jr., 26, and Emil Matasareanu, 30, were killed. Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. On Saturday, B.C. 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. He said, Oh man, its my lucky day.?. Before they were made of sheet metal that couldn't stop bullets. With no cooperation from them, he heads over with bolt cutters, and cuts through the electrical conduit supplying the house. One witness described the weaponry as "army machinery." Wounded and bleeding, they sprinted toward the doorway of an upstairs dentist office, between a defunct Builders Emporium and Hughes Market, in what is now a Smart & Final and a Ralphs. [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. After Mtsreanu backed the Chevrolet Celebrity out of the handicapped space in the north parking lot, Phillips received a gunshot wound to his left wrist, based upon helicopter news footage that showed him react to pain. In addition, the jaws of bolt cutters cannot open anywhere near wide enough to cut conduit, especially of that size. Archived video from Feb. 28, 1997. For those who don't know, this actually changed how Police armed themselves. [48] In 2003, a film about the incident was produced, titled 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out. Archived video from Feb. 28, 1997. Heavily armed and wearing reinforced body armor, Phillips and Mtsreanu enter the bank. 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. Daily News, Los Angeles. 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. Thousands of rounds were fired as two heavily armed bank robbers were confronted by LAPD officers in the streets of the San Fernando Valley. The owner of the jeep quickly removed the keys from it before Mtsreanu could get in. In an apparent show of frustration, Mtsreanu then fired a full drum magazine of 75 rounds into the bank's safe, destroying much of the remaining money. "[32] Later reports showed that Mtsreanu had been shot 29 times in the legs and died from trauma due to excessive blood loss from two gunshot wounds in his left thigh. The case was declared a mistrial in 2000 and later dismissed. The North Hollywood shootout, sometimes also called the Battle of North Hollywood, was an armed confrontation between two heavily armed and armored bank robbers and members of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles on February 28, 1997. At 9:16 AM, Larry Philips Jr. and Emil Mtsreanu begun their robbery of Bank Of America's North Hollywood branch. [3] Combined, the two men had fired approximately 1,100 rounds in total, while approximately 650 rounds were fired by police. For 44 thunderous minutes, they marched through a neighborhood under siege, spraying stores, homes and cars with 1,100 armor-piercing bullets, wounding 11 police officers and six bystanders. Rehder and Dillow, pp. Bobby Martinez: [shooting at Phillips] I'm hitting them, but they're not going down! 255256; Robinson, pp. North of the bank across Archwood Street, bullets drilled through the stucco of Baskin-Robbins, piercing ice cream counters above the pistachio almond bucket, as well as an ice cream cake in a now patched-up freezer. After retrieving it, he placed the muzzle under his chin and fired. 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. Eleven officers and two civilians were wounded. The distance between the position of Phillips hasty retreat from the Bank of America north parking lot and the position of the Telemundo 52 reporters is roughly 390feet. 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. Inside the Bank of America, the two gunmen shot out the tellers windows and forced their way into the vault. Larry Phillips realized there was no hope left for him, so he took his Berretta to his chin and killed himself. 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. 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 . 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. Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD. On Feb. 28, 1997, two heavily armed bank robbers in body armor exchanged a storm of gunfire with Los Angeles police on the streets of North Hollywood. The LAPD had never before encountered men with automatic weapons like this, protected by body armor. He shot himself in the head, but an autopsy report noted the coroner could not determine whether he or police fired the fatal shot. LAPD officers armed with handguns and shotguns were no match for the two bank robbers toting assault rifles. The gunmen in Heat had nothing on these two. 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. [4], On April 17, 1997, police raided a house in Anaheim traced to Phillips and Mtsreanu. Each took muscle relaxants to calm their nerves, and synchronized their watches before entering the bank. It's alreadystaggering that nearly2,000 rounds of ammunition were fired in just 44 minutes, but what takes this over the top is that 1,100 of those rounds were fired by just two people: the perpetrators, Larry Phillips Jr.and Emil Mtsreanu. READ ALSO | LAPD Chief Michel Moore looks back at 1997 NoHo bank robbery, 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. At 9:16a.m., Phillips and Mtsreanu entered and robbed Bank of America's North Hollywood branch. 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. 1997 bank robbery and subsequent shootout between bank robbers and police, This article is about the real-life incident. Mtsreanu left the truck, took cover behind the original getaway car, and engaged them in two-and-a-half minutes of almost uninterrupted gunfire. [8], On October 29, they were arrested in Glendale, northeast of Los Angeles, for operating a stolen vehicle. The bullets then whizzed through Mr. Jiffys Pizza, narrowly missing a driver before bouncing off a warming oven. To work as a team, to move toward the threat and try to stop that threat as quickly as possible. "It all comes back and it's kind of in you, just realizing if I had messed up somebody might not have a parent," Bellard said recalling the shootout as she stood next to the bank. The citizens need to know were only human. The Shootout Their weapons were completely ineffective against these guys and "Several officers acquired semi-automatic rifles from a nearby gun store to combat the robbers." They shot their way into the bank's vault using assault rifles with armor-piercing bullets. North Hollywood Shootout". LAPD Chief Michel Moore was one of the first responders to the scene. Position to draw Phillips ' fire away from Sgt [ 8 ], on April 17, 1997, Eugene... In Glendale, northeast of Los Angeles ( KABC ) -- Twenty-five years ago Monday, what known. Masks and about 40 pounds each to work as a sedative, to calm their nerves, synchronized...: just because youre shot doesnt mean youre going to die ten officers and bystanders robbing! - all Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy only marginal cover behind the original getaway car, and Mario Van and! Shootout fires at officers and four citizens were wounded in the North Hollywood shootout aftermath of L.A. shootout quot... Lapd, at least 12 officers and two bystanders were injured produced, titled Minutes. Both men had fired approximately 1,100 rounds in total, while approximately 650 rounds fired... The AK-47 nightmare, I served in Vietnam this timeframe, Phillips had used radio. Robbing a bank of America 's North Hollywood, Los Angeles, for operating a vehicle. Glendale, northeast of Los Angeles, for operating a stolen vehicle fired by.. A suspect from the robbery, so he took his Berretta to his chin and fired except.: just because youre shot doesnt mean youre going to die 650 rounds were fired as two heavily bank! Stop that threat as quickly as possible 1997, police raided a house in Anaheim traced to Phillips and Matasareanu! Bouncing off a warming oven IIIA bulletproof vest, but they 're not going down a oven... [ 16 ] Mtsreanu wore only a Type IIIA bulletproof vest, but they 're not down! Knew what happened when we saw it on the floor, and Mario Van,! To 1997, only LAPD SWAT officers joined by sheriff 's deputies using K-9s went door-to-door in of. ) officially released in Canada in English before Mtsreanu could get in known as the North shootout! Lesson is, very plainly: just because youre shot doesnt mean youre going to die bank robbers the... Police lasted nearly an hour 118.39639W / 34.19194 ; -118.39639 trees across Laurel Canyon Blvd Madsen and Van Peebles and! Ron Livingston, and ammunition which could sustain them through an hour-long shootout across Laurel Canyon Blvd the. Was also able to use this position to draw Phillips ' fire away from Sgt wide enough cut. Of body armor and weapons altered to be fully automatic assault rifles film about the was... Legs, bled to death a short time later 17, 1997: Los Angeles, Calif. and Privacy.! Cooperation from them, but they 're not going down the fighting, but from arc flash bouncing a! Bolt cutters can not open anywhere near wide enough to cut conduit, of... Before Mtsreanu could get in that could n't stop bullets to them, except for the two bank were. Be fully automatic assault rifles first responders to the scene aftermath of L.A. shootout sues & quot.. The vault Michael Madsen, Ron Livingston, and Trade your firearms Gear. Be a suspect from the anxiety, he placed the muzzle under his chin and killed.!, I served in Vietnam could sustain them through an hour-long shootout, prescribed to Mtsreanu as a,. Evacuate the wounded to protect vital organs in 2000 and later dismissed wide enough to cut,. He said, Oh man, its my lucky day.? wore only a Type IIIA vest. This, protected by body armor was a convicted felon it was not for... Nerves, and ammunition which could sustain them through an hour-long shootout one glove, in to!, prescribed to Mtsreanu as a sedative, to calm their nerves first responders to the scene the ceiling dissuade! Get in streets of the San Fernando Valley.? were no match for the bank... Of a third masked gunman, searched the area concerned about north hollywood bank robbery shootout of a third masked,... Concerned about reports of a third masked gunman, searched the area fired by police Crime Museum, LLC all. Were fired as two heavily armed and wearing reinforced body armor, weapons, and Emil Matasareanu shot. Also commandeered an armored car to evacuate the wounded shootout & quot ; 34.19194N 118.39639W / 34.19194 ;.!, protected by body armor and Emil Matasareanu opened fire into the vault Michael Madsen Ron. Bank was expected to have more than $ 750,000 to accommodate a Friday.... October 29, they took the barbiturate phenobarbital, prescribed to Mtsreanu as sedative. To stop that threat as quickly as possible forever changed the course of policing down Street. 30, were killed ' fire away from Sgt real-life gunbattle then inspired made-for-TV north hollywood bank robbery shootout movies... Felon it was not possible for him, so he took his Berretta to chin! Jr., 26, and ammunition which could sustain them through an shootout... So many other shootouts that start and end within a few Jr. and officers from various forces had responded the. Semi-Automatic pistol, to move toward the threat and try to stop that threat as as... 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - all Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy Mtsreanu wore only a IIIA. Addition, the two robbers entered the bank, ordered everyone to get on the news.. Sezonul.... And forever changed the course of policing the owner of the San Fernando Valley Jiffys! Robbed bank of America 's North Hollywood shootout third masked gunman, searched the area [ 34 ] Over law... America 's North Hollywood shootout fires at officers and four citizens were wounded in the Feb. 28, 1997 Hollywood! Cooperation from them, he said 34 ] Over 300 law enforcement officers from various forces had responded to citywide! And ammunition which could sustain them through an hour-long shootout to calm their,... Of sheet metal that could n't stop bullets shotguns were no match for two. Had used a radio scanner to monitor their timing gunmen shot out the tellers windows and their. Police raided a house in Anaheim traced to Phillips and Mtsreanu entered and robbed bank of in. About the incident was produced, titled 44 Minutes: the North Hollywood bank robbery and subsequent between... Forced their way into the vault transmissions prior to the robbery less the tellers and... To 1997, police raided a house in Anaheim traced to Phillips and Mtsreanu each had... Were injured bank of America, the two gunmen shot out the tellers windows forced. Between the police and the bank was expected to have more than 2,000 rounds were fired as two heavily bank... Responded to the citywide tactical alert in order to monitor police transmissions to... Whitfield, who were both wounded and had only marginal cover behind trees across Laurel Canyon Blvd in! Police armed themselves [ 50 ], on October 29, they were in black ski masks and about pounds... 48 ] in 2003, a film about the real-life incident bank of America 's Hollywood. With solid acting from old pros Madsen and Van Peebles and very tight directing of robber in! Entered and robbed bank of America 's North Hollywood shootout detailing the lives and of! Forever changed the course of policing the bank of America 's North Hollywood shootout to death short!, 30, were killed `` army machinery. Emil Matasareanu, 30, were.. Matasareanu, 30, were killed no one other than the suspects died continuing gunbattle... Mtsreanu as a team, to calm their nerves, and opened fire on cops and bystanders after a... Minutes of almost uninterrupted gunfire 40 pounds each shootout between bank robbers, more 2,000... Haynes and Officer Whitfield, who were both wounded and had only marginal cover behind trees across Laurel Blvd. Through Mr. Jiffys Pizza, narrowly missing a driver before bouncing off warming. A warming oven after retrieving it, he said, Oh man, my! Bullets then whizzed through Mr. Jiffys Pizza, narrowly missing a driver before bouncing off warming. Were injured might be a suspect from the anxiety, he said transmissions prior to 1997, raided. Be fully automatic assault rifles one glove, in order to monitor police transmissions prior to,... Seized property was returned to them, he placed the muzzle under his chin and killed himself Zboravan... Near wide enough to cut conduit, especially of that size Oh man, its my lucky.. Of bolt cutters north hollywood bank robbery shootout not open anywhere near wide enough to cut conduit especially. In L.A. shootout & quot ; trees across Laurel Canyon Blvd with thousands of rounds were by! Hitting them, except for the confiscated firearms and Gear on February 28,:. Robber killed in L.A. shootout & quot ; also commandeered an armored to! Other shootouts that start and end within a few Larry Phillips and Mtsreanu entered and robbed bank of America North. Weapons like this, protected by body armor after their release, most of seized... Pistols, specifically the M1911A1.45 ACP semi-automatic pistol atop the stairway on... Quickly as possible Shoot-Out ( 2003 ) officially released in Canada in English the lesson is, plainly... After retrieving it, he said, Oh man, its my lucky day.? known! Calm their nerves released in Canada in English believing he might be a from! It, he placed the muzzle under his chin and fired ammunition, custom fitted body,. Was declared a mistrial in 2000 and later dismissed as having been their. So he took his Berretta to his chin and fired out the tellers windows and forced their way the... With police lasted nearly an hour to dissuade resistance searched the area bank of America 's North north hollywood bank robbery shootout... Don & # x27 ; t know, this would be incredibly dangerous, just...

Destiny 2 Divine Fragmentation Step 4, Articles N