Related events:
Friday 28th of February 1997 (-) — Bank robber Larry Phillips commits suicide by a shot in the head
About an hour earlier Phillips and Emil Mătăsăreanu entered and robbed the bank but were confronted by LAPD officers when they exited the bank and a shootout between the officers and robbers ensued. The robbers attempted to flee the scene, Phillips on foot and Mătăsăreanu in their getaway vehicle, while continuing to exchange fire with the officers. Phillips was shot in the right hand, causing him to drop his Beretta 92FS pistol. After retrieving it, he placed the muzzle under his chin and fired. Phillips was simultaneously shot by a bullet that severed his spine. Friday 28th of February 1997 (-) — Bank robber Emil Mătăsăreanu dies from trauma due to excessive blood loss coming from two gunshot wounds in his left thigh
About an hour earlier Mătăsăreanu and Larry Phillips entered and robbed the bank but were confronted by LAPD officers when they exited the bank and a shootout between the officers and robbers ensued. The robbers attempted to flee the scene, Phillips on foot and Mătăsăreanu in their getaway car, while continuing to exchange fire with the officers. Mătăsăreanu took cover behind the getaway car and engaged them two-and-a-half minutes of almost uninterrupted gunfire. One SWAT officer fired his AR-15 below the cars and wounded Mătăsăreanu in his unprotected lower legs; he was soon unable to continue and put his hands up to show surrender. The police radioed for an ambulance but Mătăsăreanu, loudly swearing profusely and goading the police to shoot him, died before the ambulance and EMTs were allowed to reach the scene almost 70 minutes later. |
