Larry Eugene Phillips, Jr.: Difference between revisions
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Once inside the bank, Phillips' accomplice entered the [[vault]] to fill a bag with money. Phillips, standing in the lobby on guard, realized that there were several [[police officers]] outside. He and Matasareanu abandoned the heist, getting away with $303,305.00 [[USD]]. The bandits opened up fire with their assault weapons; the uniformed police officers, although seriously outgunned, fired back with their issued pistols and shotguns. Phillips and Matasareanu, unaffected by the rounds because of their body armors, kept firing indiscriminately, injuring police officers and civilians. Many officers had a hard time taking shots at them due to the sustained and near-constant gunfire from the criminals. |
Once inside the bank, Phillips' accomplice entered the [[vault]] to fill a bag with money. Phillips, standing in the lobby on guard, realized that there were several [[police officers]] outside. He and Matasareanu abandoned the heist, getting away with $303,305.00 [[USD]]. The bandits opened up fire with their assault weapons; the uniformed police officers, although seriously outgunned, fired back with their issued pistols and shotguns. Phillips and Matasareanu, unaffected by the rounds because of their body armors, kept firing indiscriminately, injuring police officers and civilians. Many officers had a hard time taking shots at them due to the sustained and near-constant gunfire from the criminals. |
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After a few minutes, Matasareanu entered a white sedan, while Phillips walked beside it and fired at police over the roof of the car. Eventually, Phillips' weapon stovepipe-jammed and he abandoned it. He did so because moments before he suffered a gunshot wound in his left thumb. The thumb is required to clear the stovepipe-jam. Phillips walked out from behind the truck and began firing again at police with a 9MM [[Beretta]] pistol. He fired four rounds, then his pistol was shot from his hand by a police officer. Phillips had to bend over to pick up his pistol, then pointed it under his chin and pulled the trigger |
After a few minutes, Matasareanu entered a white sedan, while Phillips walked beside it and fired at police over the roof of the car. Eventually, Phillips' weapon stovepipe-jammed and he abandoned it. He did so because moments before he suffered a gunshot wound in his left thumb. The thumb is required to clear the stovepipe-jam. Phillips walked out from behind the truck and began firing again at police with a 9MM [[Beretta]] pistol. He fired four rounds, then his pistol was shot from his hand by a police officer. Phillips had to bend over to pick up his pistol, then pointed it under his chin and pulled the trigger. |
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After Phillips ducked behind a [[tractor trailer]], Matasareanu continued driving slowly, not immediately realizing that his accomplice was not following the car. |
After Phillips ducked behind a [[tractor trailer]], Matasareanu continued driving slowly, not immediately realizing that his accomplice was not following the car. |
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Revision as of 16:54, 3 August 2007
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Larry Eugene Phillips, Jr., (September 20, 1970–February 28, 1997) is best known as one of two men who robbed a Bank of America in North Hollywood, California in 1997. He died during the shootout that took place after the robbery, by committing suicide with a handgun. His partner, Emil Dechebal Matasareanu, 30, also died during the gunfight.
In 1993, the two men were arrested for speeding in Glendale, California. When a police officer requested Phillips's driver's license, Phillips reportedly told him "I don't have one." When the officer asked for Phillips's name, Phillips responded, "I'd rather not say." The officer decided to pat down Phillips, who was acting suspiciously, and found a 9MM Glock handgun holstered at his side. The officer arrested Phillips, as well as Matasareanu, who had been the passenger in the car.
When the car was searched, the officers found an arsenal of weapons in the trunk. Two assault rifles, several handguns, masks, and ammunition were found in the car's trunk.
Phillips served time in prison for illegal possession of the weapons, and when he was released he and Matasareanu began robbing banks and armored trucks. They robbed two armored cars and two Bank of America branches, getting away with nearly two million dollars. During these robberies, the two men, ready to kill, wore ski masks, goggles, gloves, body armor, and carried fully automatic rifles with 100-round drums of ammunition. "They looked like...monsters. You knew as soon as they came into the bank, they meant business," commented one of the tellers who was in the bank during one of the robberies.
On February 28, 1997, Phillips and Matasareanu prepared for another bank robbery. Phillips had covered himself with body armors made of Kevlar that protected him from his neck to his ankles. He armed himself with a Romanian-made AKM assault rifle.
Once inside the bank, Phillips' accomplice entered the vault to fill a bag with money. Phillips, standing in the lobby on guard, realized that there were several police officers outside. He and Matasareanu abandoned the heist, getting away with $303,305.00 USD. The bandits opened up fire with their assault weapons; the uniformed police officers, although seriously outgunned, fired back with their issued pistols and shotguns. Phillips and Matasareanu, unaffected by the rounds because of their body armors, kept firing indiscriminately, injuring police officers and civilians. Many officers had a hard time taking shots at them due to the sustained and near-constant gunfire from the criminals.
After a few minutes, Matasareanu entered a white sedan, while Phillips walked beside it and fired at police over the roof of the car. Eventually, Phillips' weapon stovepipe-jammed and he abandoned it. He did so because moments before he suffered a gunshot wound in his left thumb. The thumb is required to clear the stovepipe-jam. Phillips walked out from behind the truck and began firing again at police with a 9MM Beretta pistol. He fired four rounds, then his pistol was shot from his hand by a police officer. Phillips had to bend over to pick up his pistol, then pointed it under his chin and pulled the trigger.
After Phillips ducked behind a tractor trailer, Matasareanu continued driving slowly, not immediately realizing that his accomplice was not following the car.
Matasareanu threatened more civilians in order to commandeer their vehicles but they swerved around him without stopping. Seeing the criminal coming his way, a man abandoned his truck, took his keys and turned off the kill switch. Matasareanu decided to move his weapons into the truck before he realized he could not start it. By that time, police officers who kept following him engaged him in his last gunfight. A SWAT team finally arrived and neutralized the second bandit who later died from his wounds.