April 11, 1986 - FBI shootout in Dade leads cops to seek more heat
A shootout between eight FBI agents and two serial bank robbers in unincorporated Dade County ended with two agents dead and five wounded and prompted law enforcement agencies to seek more powerful handguns. Despite outnumbering the suspects four-to-one, the bank robbers pinned down the FBI agents in part because the agents were using revolvers while the robbers had a shotgun and a semi-automatic rifle. One of the suspects was able to continue firing his weapon despite sustaining multiple gunshots from the agents. Both suspects died, but an FBI review of the incident determined that the agents were disadvantaged because most were armed with revolvers. The incident, which has been portrayed on several television shows and is infamous in law enforcement circles, accelerated a trend of police agencies around the nation switching from revolvers to semi-automatic pistols. Read more at Miami Daily News: FBI shootout in Kendall leaves 4 dead, 6 wounded