Conversations in another thread brought this topic up. I thought it might be a good idea to bring it up since it had such a big influence on current techniques.
Backstory: There were a series of armed robberies in the Miami, FL area in late 1985 and 1986. The FBI was behind the curve as the robberies were random and the getaway vehicles were always stolen. But they got a break in the case when the robbers attempted to kill someone and take their vehicle, but the victim survived the shooting and walked several miles to get help. Because of that, they knew the make & model of the vehicle the robbers would use in their next attempt. The FBI had a ârolling stakeoutâ looking for the vehicle, and eventually they came across it and started a chase which ended in a collision and then the firefight.
William Russell Matix and Michael Lee Platt were the robbers/murderers, and they squared off against a total of eight FBI agents. In the end the two felons and two FBI agents were killed, 3 FBI agents were seriously wounded and an estimated 100+ rounds of ammunition expended across an estimated 4+mins.
This shooting is significant because it ended up influencing firearms choices, terminal ballistics, and tactics for the FBI for many years to come and even up to today. FBI agents were armed with revolvers, 9mm handguns, and shotguns. Platt & Matix had a Mini-14, shotgun and assorted revolvers. Platt & Matix were shot 6 and 12 times respectively and continued to wound and kill FBI agents after being shot.
I first became aware of the shooting when hearing one of the survivors, Special Agent Ed Mireles, did several podcasts detailing the events that led up to the shooting (background on Platt & Matix) and the events of the shooting itself.
Books:
âFBI Miami Firefight. Five Minutes that Changed the Bureau.â by Ed Mireles
âThe Ayoob Files: The Bookâ by Massad Ayoob (Miami shooting is one of the cases in this book)
Podcast/Interviews w/Ed Mireles:
Ballistic Radio Podcast Part 1 and Part 2
American Warrior Podcast Link
FBI Retired Case File Review Part 1 and Part 2
GUNS Magazine Podcast Link
The ProArms Podcast Link
Movie/TV
In the Line of Duty: The FBI Murders (credit @Burdo for link)
Paul Harrell FBI 1986 Miami Dade Shooting: An Analysis
The FBI Files: Firefight
Articles: