FBI Miami shootout, 1986

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On April 11, 1986, a shootout occurred in Miami, Florida, between multiple FBI agents and two heavily armed suspects. Later known as the FBI Miami shootout, the firefight claimed the lives of two agents, Gerald Dove and Benjamin Grogan, as well as the two suspects, William Matix and Michael Platt. Five other agents were injured.

The incident is infamous: despite outnumbering the suspects, the agents found themselves pinned down by rifle fire, and the suspects were not incapacitated by repeated hits from handguns, and continued to fight after being shot.

Contents

[edit] Background

The FBI agents were investigating a series of violent bank robberies, and had reason to believe the suspects drove a 1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. On April 11, agents manned ten cars on the lookout for the suspect vehicle. At about 9 a.m., Grogan and Dove spotted the vehicle, and began to follow it. Several other cars joined them, and eventually an attempt was made to stop the suspect car, which was forced off the road. The shootout then began.

[edit] Weapons

[edit] The shootout

Immediately after being forced off the road, Platt began firing the Mini-14 from the car, while Matix fired a single round from the shotgun. Matix was soon hit twice by the agents, and he was apparently knocked unconscious. He fired no more shots throughout the battle. Platt, however, had already injured two agents with the rifle.

Platt climbed out a car window, and was soon hit several times, yet he continued fighting, now firing a revolver. He also continued to use the rifle, despite injuries to his right hand and arm, and caused agents more injuries, including a shot to the neck.

Military-trained, Platt aggressively advanced on Grogan and Dove's car, which they (so far uninjured) were using for cover. Reaching their position, he continued firing the rifle. Platt killed Grogan with a shot to the chest, shot another agent in the groin, and then killed Dove with two shots to the head. Platt himself had been hit six times at this point.

Platt entered Grogan and Dove's car, apparently attempting escape. He was joined by Matix, who had regained consciousness and crawled unseen to Platt's position.

The fight was ended by agent Edmundo Mireles, who, despite having been hit in the arm by Platt's opening shots, returned fire with his shotgun one-handed, then stood up and advanced directly towards the car, shooting six rounds of .38 Special from his revolver, hitting Matix three times and Platt twice. Both were finally killed.

Toxicology tests showed that the astounding 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- and alcohol-free at the time of their deaths.

[edit] Aftermath

Alarmed by the perceived lack of stopping power the FBI's 9mm service pistols exhibited, they soon began the search to adopt a more powerful caliber. Also noting the difficulties of reloading a revolver while under fire, they specified that agents be armed with semiautomatic handguns. The Smith & Wesson 1076 10mm Auto was chosen as a direct result of the Miami shootout.

[edit] Media

The events leading up to and including the April 11 shootout were adapted into a made-for-television movie, In The Line Of Duty: The FBI Murders, starring Michael Gross as William Matix and David Soul as Michael Platt.

The incident is prominently featured in the dissident novel Unintended Consequences by John Ross.

The film Heat is thought to be based upon this event.[citation needed]

[edit] External links / sources

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