Police shootouts, are about the closest thing to warfare as
U.S. citizens typically experience. They terrorize both the lawmakers and the
civilians who find themselves witnessing gunfire and even explosions. Here are
a few shootouts that are infamous in the collective memory of this country.
The 1985 MOVE Shootout and Subsequent Fire
MOVE is a commune style group that preaches against
technology and for living in harmony with the Earth. However, they were not
averse to using violence. Their name is not an acronym for anything, though
their members do all adopt the last name "Africa." The group is still
active as of 2016.
On May 13, 1985, police approached the home of the MOVE
group on Osage Ave. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Neighbors had been
complaining of loud preaching and anti-American sentiment being broadcast from
the house. They also complained of trash strewn in the yard for making compost
and that there were nude children walking around the property. The group was
known for a previous shooting and killing of a local police officer.
The police were met with resistance while attempting to
search the property. They initially gassed the house in response, while the
fire department doused the roof with water cannons. MOVE members fired shots at
police, who fired back. Eventually, police dropped a bomb on the house, which
set fire to explosives the group already had in the home. Five children
perished in the fire while hiding in the basement. Six adult members also died.
There were only two survivors–one adult and one child.
The fire went out of control and burned 61 houses. In all,
roughly 50,000 rounds were fired in the MOVE home. The city has had to pay
roughly 50 million dollars in damages to date.
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| Jerry Dove and Ben Grogan |
1986 FBI Miami Shootout
On April 11, 1986, FBI Agents Ben Grogan and Jerry Dove
spotted two men who were suspected of a string of bank robberies sitting in a
car in Miami. The agents pursued the men, who fled in their vehicle.
Eventually, the men came to a stop and fired at the two agents with .357 pistols,
rifles and a shotgun. Despite the arrival of backup, the heavy arms fire
cornered the two agents.
At the time, the FBI agents had smaller caliber pistols than
those they are issued now. They hit the gunmen repeatedly during the exchange,
but their bullets were not enough to stop them. Both Grogan and Dove were
killed during the firefight. Five more agents were wounded and agents
eventually killed both William Matix and Michael Platt–the perpetrators.
Because of the result of this shootout, police and FBI forces across the
country were given better weapons.
1980 Norco Bank Robbery
In terms of property damage, deaths and injuries, this
shootout seems like something only Hollywood could produce. However, it did not
happen in the studios of Hollywood. It happened for 25 miles across Norco and
into San Bernardino, California. It all began on May 9, 1980 after 3 p.m., when
police got a call that four men were holding up the Security Pacific Bank while
one stood outside as a lookout. Deputy Glyn Bolasky was the first to arrive at
the scene.
When Glyn Bolasky pulled up to the scene, he the lookout
immediately shot at him. He put his car in reverse, eventually stopping and
taking cover behind it. The four other robbers came out of the bank with
roughly 20,000 dollars and R-15 machine guns. They all shot at the pinned
officer and then jumped in their getaway van. Bolasky returned fire into the
van with his shotgun, killing the driver and effectively stopping the van in
the process. Other officers arrived and helped get Bolasky out of the area. He
had been shot and was bleeding enough to go into shock by the time he was
driven to the hospital. There were 47 bullet holes in his car.
The robbers were able to steal a truck. They left behind
their van, the money, 2,000 rounds and 15 bombs that could have changed that
day's outcome. Police chased them for 25 miles. The suspects fired at every
patrol car they came across, even dropping grenades into the road. They managed
to shoot a police helicopter, forcing it to land. In the end, they stopped the
truck and ambushed Deputy Evans, who was killed. After this, the killers
dispersed into the woods. Two days later, three were captured and another was
killed by SWAT. In all, 33 police cars were damaged or destroyed, one
helicopter was damaged, three criminals were dead and nine officers were
injured. There were also civilian casualties.
The 1993 Waco Siege, Shootouts and Fire
The Waco Siege and shootouts of 1993 are arguably the most
infamous events on this list. The story involves alleged overuse of force by
government law enforcement agencies, alleged child abuse, molestation and rape
by the criminals involved, the deaths of numerous ATF agents, children and
adult Branch Davidian cult members. The situation lasted 51 days and appalled
the world.
Leading up to February of 1993, the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms received information that the Branch Davidian cult in
Waco, Texas had amassed close to 200,000 dollars in weapons, ammunition and
explosives. There were also allegations that the cult leader, David Koresh, was
having sex with minor cult members. Later evidence suggested that some of the
children on the Branch Davidian "Ranch Apocalypse" were the result of
illegal relations with minors.
On February 28, 1993, the ATF arrived at Ranch Apocalypse to
serve a search warrant. The cult appeared to have known of the ATF's impending
arrival. A two-hour shootout ensued, during which the ATF was unable to serve
or carry out the warrant in their possession. Four ATF special agents and six
cult members died in the firefight. Sixteen additional ATF agents are wounded.
Following the shootout, the Federal Bureau of Investigation
took over the situation. A siege began which involved strange requests from
David Koresh, video showing some of the minors he allegedly engaged in sexual
acts with, hostage negotiations that Koresh continued to drag out,
psychological tactics by the FBI in an attempt to get people to leave the
ranch, the release of some women and children and the gathering of heavy
firearms and tanks by the federal authorities.
On April 19, 1993, around 6 p.m., law enforcement began
pumping tear gas into the compound. They continued this for four hours, but no
one left the ranch. It is assumed that gas masks were used within the compound.
There was more shooting between police and Branch Davidian members, but the
real danger came at around noon when three fires began in the ranch. The FBI
insists that the cult members started the fires, while the few survivors say
the police started them, whether on accident or on purpose is unknown. In the
end, 75 cult members died and only nine survived.
These are a select few of the many police shootouts that
have occurred in U.S. History. Other notable shootouts include the North
Hollywood Shootout, the Newhall Massacre, the Battle of Barrington and the
Symbionese Liberation Shootout.
Sources
Moore, Martha T., 1985 Bombing in Philadelphia Still
Unsettled, retrieved 8/1/11,
usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-05-11-philadelphia-bombing.xhtm
FBI to Commemorate Bloody 1986 Miami Shooting, retrieved
8/1/11,
miami.cbslocal.com/2011/04/11/fbi-to-commemorate-bloody-1986-miami-shootout/
The Norco Bank Robbery, retrieved 8/1/11,
rcdsa.org/norcorobbery/robbery.html
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