At approximately 09:24, on 28 February 1997, two armed robbers, Larry Phillips Jr. and Emil Matasareanu exited the North Hollywood branch of Bank of America, leaving terrified customers in their wake. They were con- fronted by waiting police, but they stood their ground and opened fire with assault rifles. Protected by homemade body armour, the two robbers behaved as if they were invulnerable. Officers ducked for cover behind squad cars only to see their vehicles disintegrate in a hail of bullets. Several officers made for a nearby gun store to plead for heavier weapons. Eventually, at 09:42, help arrived in the form of a rather casual-looking “SWAT” (from “Special Weapons And Tactics”) team. The team was called up during a barbecue, and several members arrived in shorts and sneakers. But the SWAT specialists quickly turned the tide. Phillips, wounded, turned his gun on himself. Matasareanu fought on, despite taking several rounds to his body armour. Then a SWAT officer “skipped” bullets beneath a car, striking Matasareanu below his armour, and causing him to bleed to death.