I'm sure it's been done to death, but I think this shootout is always worth a review. It speaks volumes about an attacker's ability to keep fighting long after being mortally wounded. Think about this situation combined with the experiences of an afrcom member HERE, and evaluate your carry set up. What's the capacity of your EDC and how many mags do you have? Is the caliber of your EDC able to perform under the most dire circumstances in terms of penetration and expansion? Is your holster fitted correctly, with proper retention, but still capable of being deployed quickly and consistently in a state of duress?
The Wiki article for the full read.
And the shootout snip of what must have been an absolutely terrifying experience for the (surviving) feds involved.
The Wiki article for the full read.
And the shootout snip of what must have been an absolutely terrifying experience for the (surviving) feds involved.
On April 11 a team of FBI agents led by Special Agent Gordon McNeill manned ten cars on the lookout for the suspect vehicle. Around 9 a.m., agents Grogan and Dove spotted the vehicle, and began to follow it. Two other cars joined them, and eventually an attempt was made to conduct a felony traffic stop of the suspects' car, which was forced off the road in a collision with FBI cars driven by agents Grogan, John Hanlon and Richard Manauzzi, sending it into a tree.
The initial collision that forced the suspects off the road caused some unforeseen problems for the agents, as the FBI vehicles also collided.[2] Just prior to ramming the Monte Carlo, Manauzzi had pulled out his service revolver and placed it on the seat in anticipation of a shootout,[2] but the force of the collision flung open his door and sent his weapon flying. Hanlon also lost his .357 Magnum service revolver..... during the initial collision, though he was still able to fight with his Smith & Wesson Model 36 backup gun. The collision also knocked off Grogan's eye glasses, making it difficult for him to see.
Trapped in the Monte Carlo by cars on both sides blocking the front doors, Platt fired at agents McNeill and Edmundo Mireles by firing his Ruger Mini-14 across Matix's body through the driver side window, with the muzzle almost in Matix's face. Mireles was hit in the left forearm, creating a severe wound.[2] Platt then pulled back from the window, giving Matix opportunity to fire. Due to collision damage, Matix could only open his door partially, and fired one round at Grogan and Dove. Matix was shot in the right forearm, probably by Grogan.[3] McNeill returned fire with six shots from his revolver, hitting Matix with two rounds in the head and neck. Matix was apparently knocked unconscious by the hits and fired no more rounds.[4] McNeill was then shot in the hand, and due to his wound and blood in his revolver's chambers, could not reload.[2]
As Platt climbed out of the passenger side car window, one of Dove's 9 mm rounds hit his right upper arm and went on to penetrate his chest, stopping an inch away from his heart. The autopsy found Platt’s right lung was collapsed and his chest cavity contained 1.3 liters of blood, suggesting damage to the main blood vessels of the right lung. This was the primary injury responsible for Platt’s death.[5] The car had come to a stop against a parked vehicle, and Platt had to climb across the hood of this vehicle, a Cutlass. As he did so, he was shot twice, in the right thigh and left foot. The shots were believed to have been fired by Dove.[6]
Platt took up position by the passenger side front fender of the Cutlass. He fired a .357 Magnum revolver at agents Ronald Risner and Gilbert Orrantia, and received another wound when turning to fire at Hanlon, Dove and Grogan. The bullet, fired by Risner or Orrantia, penetrated Platt's right forearm, fractured the radius bone and exited the forearm. This wound caused Platt to drop his revolver.[7] It is estimated that Platt was shot again shortly afterwards, this time by Risner. The bullet penetrated Platt's right upper arm, exited below the armpit and entered his torso, stopping below his shoulder blade. The wound was not serious.
Platt fired one round at Risner and Orrantia's position, wounding Orrantia with shrapnel created by the bullet's passage, and two rounds at McNeill. One round hit McNeill in the neck, causing him to collapse and leaving him paralyzed for several hours.[9]
Dove's 9 mm pistol was rendered inoperative after being hit by one of Platt's bullets. Hanlon fired at Platt and was shot in the hand while reloading. Platt aggressively advanced on Grogan and Dove's car, which they were using as cover. Reaching their position, he continued firing. Platt killed Grogan with a shot to the chest, shot Hanlon in the groin area, and then killed Dove with two shots to the head.[10] As Platt entered Grogan and Dove's car, Mireles, able to use only one arm, fired the first of five rounds from his pump-action shotgun, wounding Platt in both feet.[2] At an unknown time, Matix had regained consciousness and he joined Platt in the car, entering via the passenger door. Mireles fired four more rounds at Platt and Matix, but hit neither of the suspects.[11]
Around this time, Metro-Dade police officers Leonard Figueroa and Martin Heckman arrived. Heckman covered McNeill's body with his own.[12]
Platt's actions at this moment in the fight have been debated. A civilian witness described Platt leaving the car, walking almost 20 feet and firing at Mireles three times at close range. Mireles does not remember this happening. Officer Heckman does not remember Platt leaving the car. Risner and Orrantia, observing from the other side of the street, stated that they did not see Platt leave the car and fire at Mireles.[13]
Platt attempted to start the car. Mireles drew his .357 Magnum revolver, moved parallel to the street and then directly toward Platt and Matix. Mireles fired six rounds at the suspects. The first round missed, hitting the back of the front seat. The second hit the driver's side window post and fragmented, with one small piece hitting Platt in the scalp. The third hit Matix in the face, and fragmented in two, with neither piece causing a serious wound. The fourth hit Matix in the face next to his right eye socket, travelled downward through the facial bones, into the neck, where it entered the spinal column and severed the spinal cord. The fifth hit Matix in the face, penetrated the jaw bone and neck and came to rest by the spinal column.[14] Mireles reached the driver's side door, extended his revolver through the window, and fired his sixth shot at Platt. The bullet penetrated Platt's chest and bruised the spinal cord, ending the gunfight.[15]
The shootout involved ten people: two suspects and eight FBI agents. Of the ten participants, only one emerged from the battle unharmed. The incident lasted more than four minutes and approximately 145 shots were exchanged.[2][16]
Toxicology tests showed that the abilities of Platt and Matix to fight through multiple traumatic gun shot wounds and continue to battle and attempt to escape were not achieved through any chemical means. Both of their bodies were completely drug-free at the time of their deaths.[17]
