Today marks the 40th anniversary of the pivotal 1986 gunfight between agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Miami C-1 Squad and a pair of murderous bank robbers who were willing to die before they went to prison.
We’ve previously touched on the gunfight in these pages, and I’m still engaged in writing a more detailed history of the fight and its aftermath, but I’d like to switch gears away from discussions about mindset, tactics, skills, training and equipment on this day of solemn remembrance. I’m sure the internet will be awash with plenty of conversations about ammo, ballistics, and gelatin testing today, and someone might even accidentally stumble into a discussion about tactics, but I’d like to change the focus for a moment.
DUTY
First, we must talk about the fallen.
Special Agents Benjamin Grogan and Jerry Dove were brutally murdered by the robbers during the gunfight, and we owe it to them, their families, and their fellow agents to remember these men and appreciate the sacrifice they made on our behalf.
These agents knew the character of the men they were hunting. They knew they were extremely dangerous, prone to use violence without provocation, and heavily armed. They were stealthy, unpredictable, and used good tactics as they robbed and killed their way through Miami.
None of that deterred the agents. Indeed, the more violent and dangerous the robbers grew, the more dogged the agents’ pursuit of them became. Agents Grogan and Dove were fully dedicated to stopping the predations of this duo because they’d sworn an oath to do so. It was their duty, and nothing would keep them from it–even the risk of losing their own lives.
Duty. It’s a simple concept, but a difficult one to practice. Less and less of the public is called to duty these days, asked to sacrifice their own needs and fortunes in the pursuit of a greater good.
That makes the people who volunteer for such service even more precious. We’re blessed to have people like this working on our behalf–men and women who will accept the risks of dealing with the worst people, the worst situations, the most difficult and dangerous jobs, to protect their fellow Americans. What a gift it is, to have them working to keep the evil at bay, so we can live our lives!
The price we pay for such a gift is the one that days like this solicit from us. We have our own duty to remember and honor the fallen, to show their sacrifice was meaningful to us, and appreciated. We also have an associated duty to support and respect the men and women who continue to serve with honor.
So, today, please pause to remember Agents Benjamin Grogan and Jerry Dove. They were taken too soon, and we are poorer for their loss.
Loyalty and BROTHERHOOD
We must also talk about those who lived.
It’s important that we acknowledge the dedication, commitment and loyalty of Grogan’s and Dove’s brothers in the fight.
From the very moment the suspects were observed leaving the vicinity of the FBI stakeout, stopping them was a team effort. Every agent on the scene was fully committed to the task, and ready to sacrifice their own safety to protect the public, and their teammates, in the process.
To wit:
An agent crashed his car into the suspect’s vehicle to prevent them from bringing their guns to bear on his fellow agents. He saved his brothers from a short-range ambush, but put himself in the line of fire, instead. He was injured with rifle frag as he ran to find his weapon, which was lost in the crash;
An agent engaged the heavily armed opponents with his lesser weapon at close range, exposing himself to their gunfire, to cover the retreat of the unarmed agent who had lost his gun in the vehicle collision. He was shot multiple times in the process, and left temporarily paralyzed. His injuries were painful and physically limiting for the rest of his life;
An agent rushed headlong into the erupting gunfight that he could hear, but not clearly see through the glare and dust. His decision to change course and reinforce his engaged partner’s weak fighting position on the far left flank left him exposed for longer, and led to him being grievously wounded when a rifle bullet nearly severed his arm from his body;
An agent charged into the rifle fight with only a 5-shot snub, aiming for his partner’s unreinforced position because he didn’t want him to feel like he was fighting alone. He was shot in the hand while trying to reload his empty gun, then grievously wounded and left for dead after being shot at near-contact distance with a rifle;
An agent chose to fight from his exposed position behind the wheel of his car, rather than seek better cover, because his partners were under fire and needed him to get into the fight without delay. He diverted the suspects’ attention and fire away from his brothers, and got hit with bullet fragments;
Several agents tried to reload their empty guns and return to the fight after they’d been hit with rifle fire, desperate to help their teammates kill the attackers who were gaining the upper hand;
A police officer rushed to the aid of a fallen agent, covering him with his own body when he was warned the suspects were about to shoot at the disabled and helpless agent;
An agent, barely clinging to life, accepted his own death in trade for killing the robbers before they could drive over his fallen brothers, as they made their escape. He left his cover, stumbled directly towards the armed men, and killed them both before collapsing. He managed to survive, with a crippling injury that he never fully recovered from after years of surgeries and rehab;
All of the surviving agents, as well as their families, fought their own battles with the physical and emotional injuries sustained that day–a daily task, for the last forty years.
Where do we find such men?
Where do we find the men and women whose code of honor, commitment to duty, and love for their fellow man compels them to place others before themselves, to disregard their own safety to ensure the safety of others?
Where do we find the families who bravely and disproportionately bear the costs of the eternal battle between Good and Evil? The ones who continue to pay the bill, long after the fight is over, and the world around them has forgotten?
I don’t know, but I do know we should be grateful they exist, and they answer the call of duty. We should recognize their gifts to us, and show our genuine appreciation for them.
On this solemn anniversary, we should thank God for providing them as our earthly guardians.
in memoriam
The best of man is sometimes revealed when the worst of man lashes out.
This was most definitely the case in Southwest Miami, forty years ago today.
May God bless all those who were there fighting on the side of Good that day, as well as their families. We owe them the kind of debt that is near impossible to repay, but must be remembered.
I remember responding to a gunfight with an officer hit by rifle fire. I had a half second’s hesitation- “is this a good idea?”- instantly followed by “ there’s no way I’m not going to this. There’s no way WE are not going to this.” All of us. The whole city responded. I can imagine these agents and MPD officers having a similar experience. I got through it unscathed. There but for the grace of God.
Thank you, Mike.
These were not grizzled old men with nothing to lose.
These were men determined to confront evil, and stop it.
Here’s to the memory of lives ended, and lives forever altered.
Mike,
Thank you for a thoughtful remembrance of a horrible day where Duty, Loyalty, and Brotherhood mattered so much more than the guns used or the brand of bullets fired.
When the brown gooey stuff hits the rotary air propulsion device, one finds out what mettle they are made of. Trying to describe the adrenaline dump that occurs in a situation like this, or any law enforcement encounter where someone is shooting at you, is nigh to impossible to someone who hasn’t experienced it. It’s sheer terror wrapped in fear, carried by courage and duty. And like being in combat on a battlefield, the event will haunt you for the rest of your life.
It’s not about being a hero, it’s definitely not about bragging rights. It is about doing what is right, especially when lead is flying.
Thank you, Mike, for recognizing these good men. They sacrificed much in the line of duty that day and they deserve to be honored for their selfless courage. Thank God that such men were (and are) among us.
My hat’s off to the FBI agents and the rest of the thin blue line who go into harm’s way while protecting our communities and putting paid to monsters.
Thank you Sir, for taking the time to recognize these men and their sacrafice. Day in and day out, there are men and women that put themselves in harms way to make sure others don’t have to. Some folks may say, “That’s their job” or “They get paid to do that” but there is so much more to the duty that our first responders fulfill every minute. A little gratitude goes a long way and is the very least we as a society can offer. Thank you and God Bless everyone who stands ready to face danger for us.
Couldn’t have said it better.
Thanks,
Mike
Mike very eloquent rendition of 11 April. It clearly illustrated the bravery and sacrifice that folks who carry a badge often engage in.
What a terrible cost to loved ones, co-workers, the law enforcement community and to the general public. Even though large segments of our population fail to appreciate the men and women who serve.
On this day those Officers removed a very deadly pair of threats to our citizens. No fail to prosecute, no instant probation, no death penalty that often takes 35 years or more to complete. It was swift and certain punishment for their crimes. Effective recidivism.
May God bless and comfort the families, friends and co workers always. For all the brave Officers who stopped these criminals
Thank you.
Clint Smith said it best in his interview on 60 Minutes:
“So there’s no misunderstanding, there are people who need to be shot.”
Thank you for remembering these officers. I began my law enforcement career in early 1990, and the agents involved—and this incident itself—had a profound impact on me at the time. In the aftermath of the Miami Shootout, my department transitioned from S&W Model 66 4″ revolvers to S&W 1006 semi-automatic pistols. For the first several years of my career, nearly every training class—whether focused on tactics, vehicle stops, or officer survival—included a review of this incident and often interviews with the surviving agents. Ed Mireles’ words, in particular, have stayed with me over the years. I still find myself revisiting his book from time to time.
Mike, I look forward to reading your book when finished.
I remember this quite well. I had been detailed to the USBP Academy in June, 1986, shortly after this event. In August we were privileged to attend a after action report by the Miami PD that had responded to the location. It was a most remarkable shooting. The bad guys did not have drugs or alcohol in their system. The FBI Agents did not hesitate to engage the bad guys.
I have an autographed copy of Edmundo Mireles book “FBI Miami Firefight”.
Brave men.
Bravo Zulu Mike.
Mike, thank you for your fine tribute to the FBI agents who fought and died that day. I recall vividly when it occurred. The event contributed to my resolve to become an FBI agent, which I did 3 years later. As a young agent, I lived through the aftermath. I benefited from the changes in tactics, training, policy, equipment, and mindset that flowed from the sacrifice of these men. As a young FBI SWAT agent, I remember one of participants, SSA Gordon McNeil, telling our team about it. I’ve never forgotten his description of the gunfight and the crippling injuries he suffered. It was pivotal event for the FBI and the changes it brought about impacted generations of law enforcement officers.
…the men who stand in the gap…
🫡
May we learn from thier sacrifices.
Steve
Mike:
You have written an excellent memorial commentary to the FBI agents who lost their lives in this tragic shooting, those Agents and Police Officers who survived and the families who lost loved ones. Thank you!
We sometimes forget or don’t appreciate that evil stalks our streets and must be confronted by men who are willing to place themselves in harms way to protect us all!
God Bless them All!
Dick
Thank you Mike for so eloquently honoring the brave FBI special agents who found and fought evil 40 years ago. Their devotion to duty and selfless sacrifice are a testament to the ideals of the FBI. We must be ever grateful and appreciative of men and women who are willing to go into harm’s way in order to protect the citizens of this great country. God Bless them all.
Thanks for this beautiful tribute Mike. Looking forward to the book.
Mike:
Thank you for remembering the Agents who were involved in the fight in Miami on 11-April-1986. I became an agent several years after that incident and, much like my friend Will Long mentioned, it had a profound effect on me in terms of my perspective on training and the possibility of having a violent confrontation with those we sought to bring to justice. May God bless the fallen and provide continuing strength to their loved ones.