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.
"Feb. 28, 1997, is a date that will forever be etched in the annals of LAPD history as one of the most violent encounters Department officers ever endured. Commonly known as the North Hollywood Bank of America Shootout, the incident quickly appeared on news channels throughout the nation as the drama unfolded," the Los Angeles Police Department said in 2010.
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. They shot their way into the bank's vault using assault rifles with armor-piercing bullets.
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. As the two were attempting to leave the bank, Phillips fired numerous gunshots at the responding officers.
The responding officers were carrying only pistols. 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.
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.
The shootout lasted over 40 minutes and resulted in the death of Phillips and Matasareanu. According to LAPD, at least 12 officers and two bystanders were injured.
While speaking with CNN in 2017, former LAPD SWAT officer Rick Massa said that the two robbers "had no care for life."
"And this was obvious when they came out of the bank and started shooting at anyone that moved. They didn't care," Massa told CNN.
The incident changed how policing is conducted, with officers now equipped with higher-caliber weapons.
Captain Johnny Starling of the California Highway Patrol West Valley division told CNN in 2017 that his officers now have AR-15s in their vehicles, and he said, "Even our patrol cars have Kevlar side panels. Before they were made of sheet metal that couldn't stop bullets."
Uncommon Knowledge
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Matthew Impelli is a Newsweek staff writer based in New York. His focus is reporting social issues and crime. In ... Read more
