Firearms Nation Podcast

There have been a few events in law enforcement history that went on to change policies across police departments.  On February 28th, 1997, the North Hollywood Shootout would leave a gaping wound of how outgunned police really were. In the second episode of the Deconstructing Gunfight series, I talk with former Los Angeles Police Department officer John Caprarelli who was one of the responding officers that fateful day.  John had spent 15 years as a police officer and had been in various units but nothing would have prepared him for what he was going to face that day. Larry Phillips and Emil Matasareanu were a pair of bank robbers who had escalated to murder during a previous heist.  Their acts of violence got worse each time they committed another robbery.  On Feb. 28th, 1997 they hit the Bank of America in North Hollywood.  They were prepared.  Each of the men were covered in layers of body armor and both carried fully automatic rifles and hundreds of rounds.  The LAPD had handguns and shotguns.  What follo