From late 1983 up until this shootout between several FBI Agents and the suspects in this particular FBI Case, William Russell Matix and Michael Lee Platt; that had taken place in April, 1986; both William Russell Matix and Michael Lee Platt have been involved in several murders (by the way of both stabbing their victims with a knife, and shooting their victims with a gun), Armored Truck Robberies, and Bank Robberies; including both men murdering their own wives. Matix had stabbed his wife in the neck, and Platt’s wife had died by a suspected suicide by the way of a single shotgun blast to her mouth.

During their spree of stealing weapons, murdering people, and robbing Banks and Armored Trucks, William Russell Matix and Michael Lee Platt had stolen a plethora of vehicles from others, including Pickup Trucks, and G-Platform Chevrolet Monte Carlos (see this earlier post regarding the General Motors G-Platform, and the Chevrolet Monte Carlo’s corporate siblings: A G-Platform Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Used As The Chevrolet Motor Division’s Entry Into NASCAR For A Good Portion Of The 1980’s, Located In The Town Of Cutler, Ohio)

At 8:45 A.M (a quarter to 9:00 A.M) Eastern Standard Time, while spotting a G-Platform Chevrolet Monte Carlo that matched the suspect’s vehicle description, on a hunch; FBI Agent Gordon McNeil began to slowly follow this Chevrolet Monte Carlo, while advising whilst communicating on the Two-Way Radio with other Agents to catch up to Gordon McNeill, and in due time; the other agents did catch up to Gordon McNeil; and the suspects William Matix and Russell Platt driving the stolen Monte Carlo.

William Matix and Russell Platt had stolen the Monte Carlo from a local of the Miami area named Jose Calazo, who earlier; had reported the Car stolen.

The Agents’ reason for following slowly behind the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, is to try to avoid a potential shootout, and to avoid putting the public at risk of being in the crosshairs of an Automobile accident and/or a shootout.

As the convoy of FBI Agents continue to tailgate Matix and Platt in the stolen Monte Carlo, the Agents eventually decide that they have been patient long enough, they begin to shout out through loudspeakers by the way of windows being open in their Government-issued Cars to pull over, Matix and Platt ignore the order, a couple of the Agents in their Government-issued Car begin to box them in, and the other Agents merge in front of the Monte Carlo, and attempt a Traffic Stop.

Several of the Agents working this case even thought that William Matix even looked like a basic, Western United States bad guy, with a handlebar mustache; and determined to evade the authorities no matter the cost and the consequences.

The agents witness through the windows of the Monte Carlo Matix, Platt, and a third man who was riding along with them in the Monte Carlo; appearing to grab weapons; and then, the Agents’ worst fear happens in front of the home located at 2201 Southwest 82nd Avenue; Platt and Matix begin to shoot one of their stolen guns at the Agents in the Car next to them.

Platt, Matix, and the Agents slam on their brakes in the Cars they are driving in front of the home located at 2201 Southwest 82nd Avenue, and the shootout begins to take place.

Below is the home located at 2201 Southwest 82nd Avenue, where the Shootout had taken place in front of:

Platt and Matix, both veterans of the United States Armed Forces, and having received Military-style tactical weapons training; shoot the Agents using the Military-style tactical training they have received while training and actually serving in the Military; being to shoot until the last of the enemies have been killed.

Platt and Matix’s stolen revolvers and Machine Guns had overpowered the Agents’ Government-issued weapons. As a result, Platt, Matix, and the third accomplice had the upper hand with regards to the shootout, and the Agents attempting to place each of these three men into submission.

William Matix and Michael Platt both decided that they are not going to be arrested alive. In other words, both men have decided that they were going down, out, and were going to take as many of the agents with them as possible to places such as Heaven and Hell, an Afterlife, and an Alternate Universe.

One of the Agents had experienced his testicles within his groin area being shot at, resulting in his testicles exploding like a balloon, and him having to be neutered similarly to how a Pet Animal is fixed; while recovering in the Hospital from all of his gunshot wounds.

In the end, after a grueling five minute shootout in front of the House located at2201 Southwest 82nd Avenue; two Agents were killed from gunshot wounds, five more agents were wounded and injured, and the others managed to emerge from this shootout unscathed.

The two Agents who were killed in the line of duty during this shootout were Jerry Dove and Ben Grogan. Jerry Dove had worked for the FBI for 4 years as of the time of his end of watch; and Ben Grogan had worked for the FBI for 25 years, and was preparing to retire the following year as of the time of his end of watch.

In 2001, a Memorial in the form of Historic Area Sign, and a circular shrub have been planted across the street from the House located at in what was then a part of the Miami city proper, and is now the separate City and Miami suburb of Pinecrest, Florida; honoring fallen FBI Agents Jerry Dove and Ben Grogan, who were killed in this shootout.

As a result of this shootout, from that point forward, not only have the FBI and many Police Agencies across the United States switched from Revolvers to Semi-Automatic Guns as the weapon of choice to be issued to personnel, but also; Military-style Tactical weaponry training is now taught at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia; in addition to standard Law Enforcement-style weaponry training, so that the suspects are less likely to overpower the Agents going forward.

On a more personal note, one can wonder what Bob Vila had thought of this shootout that took place in the vicinity of his native Miami, and what one of his siblings who has continuously resided in the Miami area throughout her adulthood, Theresa Vila-Lopez; had thought about this shootout.

Additionally, one can also wonder what Bob Vila and his sister Theresa Vila-Lopez had thought about the terror and fear these suspects and the eventual shootout have caused throughout the Miami area.

Also, one can wonder what Gloria Estefan had thought of this shootout that took place in the vicinity of her native Miami area; and the terror and fear that these suspects and the eventual shootout have caused throughout the Miami area.

This FBI Case was the subject of a Made For Television Movie that was networked on NBC on November 27, 1988 (a few days after Thanksgiving Day, 1988) titled “In the Line of Duty: The FBI Murders” starring Michael Gross as William Matix, and David Soul as Michael Platt.

Moreover, this FBI Case was also the subject of the successful Television Program produced by the Suffolk, Virginia (a suburb of Norfolk, Virginia) based Production Company New Dominion Pictures titled “The FBI Files”, specifically the Episode titled “Firefight”.

Sadly, Gordon McNeill; a morally decent, shrewd, astute, and intellectual person; would pass away in 2004.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-jan-10-me-passings10.3-story.html

Richard Manauzzi, Edmundo “Ed” Mireles Jr., Ronald Risner, Gilbert Orrantia, and John Hanlon are also morally decent, shrewd, astute, and intellectual people.