The North Hollywood shootout was a notorious bank robbery that occurred on February 28th, 1997, where two armed bank robbers engaged in a shootout with the Los Angeles Police Department. The incident was a turning point in police history, highlighting the need for more firepower to combat escalating criminal firepower. The robbers, Larry Phillips Jr. and Emil Mataserano, received training from the movie Heat, which mimicked the tactics employed in the shootout. The LAPD ultimately issued M16s to its officers to level the playing field, marking a significant change in police equipment.
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