The Backstory: The FBI’s Bloodiest Shootout

The FBI has had some pretty astounding moments of transformation in its 117-year history. But the bloodiest shootout in its history changed the way they do their job forever. It took place less than 40 years ago.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The FBI. Just those three letters kind of give you
a little chill, right. These people are serious law enforcement
types you just don't want to tangle with. The bureau
has evolved from its beginnings in nineteen oh eight. Violence
has frequently been the name of the game, but there
was one shootout in particular that changed the way the
FBI deals with heavily armed criminals. I'm Patty Steele, the

(00:24):
FBI's defining and bloodiest moment. Next on the backstory, The
backstory is back. First of all, I'd like to thank
backstory listener Caitlin Marieski for bringing this story to our attention,
since her mom actually worked at one of the banks
robbed by the guys at the center of it. We've

(00:46):
seen the evolution of the FBI from its inception in
nineteen oh eight through their wild days capturing gangsters like
al Capone, Bonnie and Clyde, and John Dillinger. They chased
down bank robbers, kidnappers, and murderers, as well as gangs
involved in prostitution, drug dealing, and gun running. While FBI
stands for a Federal Bureau of Investigation, those initials also

(01:10):
stand for the bureau's motto fidelity, bravery, and integrity. For
forty eight years, the Bureau of Investigation, as it was
first called and then the FBI, was run by j.
Edgar Hoover. He was a bit of a nut job,
but he controlled the Bureau with a wild ego and
an iron fist, using it at times as his own

(01:30):
personal espionage organization. Hoover finally died while still on the
job in nineteen seventy two. As the FBI continued to evolve,
criminals were getting more and more powerful. A hot spot,
of course, was Miami. By the mid nineteen eighties, the lights,
the glitz, and the glamour were masking an out of
control crime rate. Violent bank robberies became par for the course,

(01:54):
and two of the best and most ruthless at that
game were William Russell Maddox and Mike Lee Platt. Both
were born in the early nineteen fifties, Maddox in Ohio
and Platte in California. They met when they both joined
the military. Maddox was in the Marines and later the Army,
where he served as a military cop. But after the

(02:15):
mysterious death of his young wife, who was stabbed on
the job along with a coworker, he turned angry and volatile,
abandoning family and friends. He was actually a suspect in
the murders, but for some reason never charged. Platt, meantime
was in the army and he became a ranger, one
of the military's elite units, known for intense training and

(02:37):
tactical expertise. He was aggressive and highly skilled, but he
too had an explosive temper, and once out of the military,
he had a rough time getting back into civilian life.
His first wife had also died, she with a single
shotgun blast to the mouth. It was ruled a suicide,
but he remarried just a couple of weeks later, and

(02:59):
then Maddox and Platt cross paths again. Both were disenchanted
with the world in general and resented authority. The two
vets bonded quickly over their shared military experience and mutual
anger at life, and that led to an intense but
really dangerous friendship. Problem is, both were highly trained but

(03:19):
had become increasingly radicalized, and they fed off of each
other's disillusionment. Now it's the mid eighties and they've reconnected
in Florida. Neither has a criminal record, but they start
stockpiling weapons, carefully planning a series of robberies that would
shake South Florida. These are carefully orchestrated assaults, allowing them

(03:41):
to show off their tactical expertise, from military precision to
ruthless execution. It all reflects their training and violent mindset.
Although some of their robberies are bungled, many are successful,
but leave innocent people dead and wounded, the public terrified
and law enforcement baffled. The pair is showing no hesitation

(04:03):
to shoot their way out of trouble, and their weapons
are military grade, which far exceeds the typical firepower, police,
or even the FBI usually encountered at that time, and
that's where trouble arises. It all culminates in a deadly
encounter with the FBI in April of nineteen eighty six.
The FBI has a special team of eight highly skilled

(04:26):
agents on the case, including two leaders, special agents Ben
Grogan and Jerry Dove. On the morning of April eleventh,
after weeks of surveillance, the FBI sees Mattox and Platt
driving a stolen Chevy Maddy Carlo. They're in South Miami,
and they begin to chase the pair The agents manage
to box in the Manty Carlo so they can capture

(04:48):
the suspects, but Mattox and Platt have no intention of
surrendering Quietly. As the agents move closer, the robbers open fire.
All hell breaks loose. It's total chaos. Bullets are shredding
through vehicles and agents are scrambling for cover. It's pretty
clear the tactical skill and firepower of Mattos and Plat,

(05:09):
with a Ruger Many fourteen rifle and multiple powerful handguns
is overwhelming even these seasoned FBI agents. Early in the shootout,
the lead special agents Grogan and Dove are fatally wounded.
Of the remaining six agents, five are critically wounded. The
shootout lasts just a few minutes, but it feels like

(05:30):
an eternity. Over one hundred forty rounds were fired in
addition to deaths and injuries on the FBI special team.
The robbers, Mattox and Platt lay dead the end of
their vicious spree. The FBI shootout in Miami was a
wake up call for law enforcement nationwide. It showed critical
gaps and prompted major reforms in how federal agents are

(05:54):
trained and equipped up until this bloody shootout, considered the
worst in FBI history. Police and federal agents were typically
issued revolvers, but now law enforcement realized bigger firepower was
needed to deal with criminals like Mattocks and Platt. Police
departments and the FBI began issuing semi automatic handguns along

(06:17):
with much improved body armor. As in everything we do,
it's the takeaway that matters. Right today, the shootout is
still a key study for law enforcement. The agents who
survived became outspoken advocates for improving the safety of officers
and of encouraging resilience. The Miami shootout of nineteen eighty

(06:38):
six was a pivotal turning point in the FBI's history.
It's also a reminder of the danger law enforcement officer's
face and the sacrifices they make every day. Once again,
I want to thank Backstory listener Caitlin Mareyeski for turning
me on to this story and her personal connection through
her mom. Hope you're enjoying the Backstone with Patty Steele.

(07:01):
Please leave a review and follow or subscribe for free
to get new episodes delivered automatically, and also feel free
to DM me if like Caitlin you have a story
you'd like me to cover. On Facebook, It's Patty Steele
and on Instagram Real Patty Steele. I'm Patty Steele. The

(07:22):
Backstory is a production of iHeartMedia, Premiere Networks, the Elvis
Durand Group, and Steel Trap Productions. Our producer is Doug Fraser.
Our writer Jake Kushner. We have new episodes every Tuesday
and Friday. Feel free to reach out to me with
comments and even story suggestions on Instagram at Real Patty
Steele and on Facebook at Patty Steele. Thanks for listening

(07:44):
to the Backstory with Patty Steele. The pieces of history
you didn't know you needed to know.