North Hollywood Bank Robbery Shootout

[Old NFO]

NH Shootout

I doubt the average Air Policeman could replicate that performance. I do not think it is fair to indict the LAPD because officers at North Hollywood could replicate this individual's perfomance.
The article fails to mention the number of rounds fired. While it mentions a round hitting the assailant in the head, it does not say the hit to the head was intentional. I believe it was more luck than skill that he hit him in the head.

I was working in the LA basin for the Gov't at that time and I too watched this on TV that day in LA. I used to shoot with a lot of the LAPD and LASO folks down at a range in Torrence owned by a Torrence PD officer; and was concerned because I knew officers that were in NHD, RHD, and SWAT. FWIW
Blackhawk Six, I talked to the officer that made that shot on BG 1- He stated he was down to his last clip and "thought" he was down to his last round. He braced on a 6-8" tree he was "hiding" behind and took the shot from about 50-60 feet. He admitted he was surprised when the BG dropped. I also talked to the SWAT officer (who was a Nam vet and "knew" the sound of an AK of full auto) that made the shot from under the patrol car. He told us that they were told respond to scene , don't wait for the truck, so he responded in cutoff's and a t-shirt. He got there, threw on a vest, grabbed an AR and jumped in the front seat of the cruiser. They went in and he returned fire, then told us he couldn't figure out how he was going to get out of the right front seat, so he slid across on his back and flopped out on the driver's side. He realized he could see the BG's legs under the cars, so he took a shot and dropped the guy, then shot again (the second shot appearantly hit the Femoral artery, which caused the BG to bleed out). He also told us there was no way to get medical care to either BG, as they were still concerned there was a 3rd BG and all non-LE were being kept out of the area (which also delayed the EMS response to held the LEO's and civilians). FYI, the first in car has never been repaired, it is at the LAPD Police Academy and is used as a "training" tool now. One other major change was the issuance within a month of AR-15's to all patrol/shift Sgt's and TO's in both LAPD and LASO.

We can armchair quarterback this to death, but we werent' there. I think the men and women of the LAPD did their best that day, considering how badly they were out gunned- They never gave up, and triumphed in the end. There were a lot of civilians (Gun shop owner, truck drivers, etc.) that never got ANY credit for their assist, however some of the officers took it on themselves to thank those who helped.

 

[why_me]

What armored man said

It would of been good to run them over with armored cars. Be dammed with the lawsuits. Those guys were a freaking menace. I would of been allright if they dropped napalm on em. Just think if the BMG .50 was on the scene. Oh wait. Its California.

 

[twoblink]

Actually, I don't see too much armchair quarterbacking..

I think most of us have shot pistols enough to know that 50-75 yards with a 9mm while taking fire from a full auto AK is asking a lot. No arguements there.

In the movie, the distance was portrayed to be quite a bit less, more like 20 yards..

I still feel however, someone is to blame for the lack of a rifle..

 

[coylh]

I hit a paper plate at 100 yards, with one shot from a CZ-75, on a bench rest, after consulting my inner child on sight alignment for about 2 minutes. Not wanting to spoil the illusion of my skill for onlookers, I refrained from trying a second time.

I suppose the police could have hosed down the guys with 45 rounds of 9mm and hoped one landed, but beyond that I don't see that they could have done much more. I like the idea of a pistol cartridge rifle.