Anthony
Super Moderator
Tuesday was the 20th anniversary of the North Hollywood bank shootout, one of the most violent, bloody days in the history of Los Angeles.
It happened to be one of the wildest shootouts the country had ever seen unfolded live on the television across the country.
Twelve police officers and eight civilians had been injured on Feb. 28, 1997. It happened during a forty four minute gun battle with two heavily armed suspects trying to rob a bank. Both were carrying fully automatic assault rifles and were protected by full body armor.
This event changed the LAPD and policing in the city.
"That was a wake up call," said City Councilman Mitchell Englander. "Not only is this weaponry available to the mass market, but anybody can deploy it for any reason. So the police weaponry changed, but the tactics and the training changed. Every law enforcement agency in the country changed in how to respond to those incidents."
It happened to be one of the wildest shootouts the country had ever seen unfolded live on the television across the country.
Twelve police officers and eight civilians had been injured on Feb. 28, 1997. It happened during a forty four minute gun battle with two heavily armed suspects trying to rob a bank. Both were carrying fully automatic assault rifles and were protected by full body armor.
This event changed the LAPD and policing in the city.
"That was a wake up call," said City Councilman Mitchell Englander. "Not only is this weaponry available to the mass market, but anybody can deploy it for any reason. So the police weaponry changed, but the tactics and the training changed. Every law enforcement agency in the country changed in how to respond to those incidents."