Larry Eugene Phillips Jr., 26, was a gruff-looking man with a pencil mustache, a former grifter once arrested for real-estate fraud. [8], On October 29, they were arrested in Glendale, northeast of Los Angeles, for operating a stolen vehicle. More than 300 outgunned law enforcement officers from five agencies, fighting for their lives, fired back with more than 550 rounds. and Privacy Policy. LAPD Chief Michel Moore looks back at 1997 NoHo bank robbery. [4][34] Over 300 law enforcement officers from various forces had responded to the citywide tactical alert. His gun jammed when he was pinned down behind a car. For his valor, he would receive an award from the county. [17] Before entering, they took the barbiturate phenobarbital, prescribed to Mtsreanu as a sedative, to calm their nerves. One location that Officer Richard Zielenski of Valley Traffic Division effectively used for cover was the adjacent Del Taco restaurant's west wall, 351 feet (107m) from Phillips. The gun battle lasted 44 minutes. [27], At the same approximate time, LAPD gunfire struck the Heckler & Koch rifle that Phillips was firing, rendering it inoperable with a penetration to the receiver. Two heavily armed men - fully clad in body armor - robbed the bank, and then opened fire on civilians and the LAPD. In 1997, two bank robbers wearing body armour and wielding assault rifles attempted a heist at the Bank of America in North Hollywood before engaging in a lengthy gunfight with police, most of . Sezonul 1. On Feb. 28, 1997, two heavily armed bank robbers in body armor exchanged a storm of gunfire with Los Angeles police on the streets of North Hollywood. One seriously wounded officer who later quit the force to become a minister said: I heard the devil; he told me: Youre gonna die, youre gonna die.. Mtsreanu became so enraged that he emptied a 75 round drum magazine into the vault, destroying the rest of the money. Phillips and Mtsreanu carried Norinco Type 56 rifles (a Chinese AK-47 variant), a Bushmaster XM-15 Dissipator with a 100-round drum magazine, and a Heckler & Koch HK91 rifle, all of which, except for the HK91, had been illegally modified to be select-fire capable, as well as a Beretta 92FS pistol. The sound of heavy gunfire echoed in the streets as two bank robbers armed with assault rifles opened fire in an attempt to make a getaway. [1], Larry Eugene Phillips Jr. (born September 20, 1970) and Decebal tefan Emilian "Emil" Mtsreanu (born July 19, 1966) first met at a Gold's Gym in Venice, Los Angeles, California, in 1989. One year after the incident occurred, 19 LAPD police officers received Medals of Valor and were invited to meet President Bill Clinton. Its not a macho thing. On Feb. 28, 1997, two men armed with fully automatic weapons and clad in heavy body armor did more than rob the Bank of America at 6600 Laurel Canyon Blvd. The two bank robbers, Larry Eugene Phillips Jr., 26, and Emil Matasareanu, 30, were killed. 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shootout is a 2003 television film that dramatizes the events surrounding the infamous 1997 shootout between Los Angeles Police Department officers and two heavily armed bank robbers in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles. Does any unit know how many officers are down? asked a police radio dispatcher. The North Hollywood shootout ended with the two perpetrators Larry Eugene Phillips Jr., 26, and Emil Dechebal Matasareanu, 30 dead in the street. Both men left the bank and took aim at the surrounding officers. At the time LAPD officers were only equipped with Berretta M9FS 9mm handguns and S&W model 15 .38 revolvers which were no match for Phillips and Mtsreanus modified assault rifles. By what name was 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out (2003) officially released in Canada in English? His family later sued two police officers and the city, claiming the officers were indifferent to Matasareanus wounds at the scene and let him die. The facts about the 1997 North Hollywood shootout are all nearly unbelievable, from the number of rounds fired during the siegeto the kind of weaponsthe assailants used. The North Hollywood siege ended at 10:01 a.m. As the gunfire suddenly ceased in front of her Archwood home, Anna Kazanchyan crouched inside with her two young children watching it play out on TV. "[32] Later reports showed that Mtsreanu had been shot 29 times in the legs and died from trauma due to excessive blood loss from two gunshot wounds in his left thigh. [1], Due to the large number of injuries and rounds fired, equipment used by the robbers, and overall length of the shootout, it is regarded as one of the most intense and significant gun battles in U.S. police history. It premiered on the FX Network on June 5, 2003. South of the bank, Carlos Lemus, an employee of the Goodyear tire shop, was walking toward its ATM when he realized hed forgotten his billfold. Forty-four minutes later, hundreds of rounds had been fired by the robbers carrying high-powered rifles and LAPD officers, most of whom were armed only with their handguns. Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. While Phillips continued to fire at officers, Matasareanu attempted to flee in a getaway car after he was shot several times in the bank's parking lot. Phillips walked down Archwood Street, continuing his gunbattle with police. The lawsuit was tried in United States District Court in February and March 2000, and ended in a mistrial with a hung jury. NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- In 1997, two bank robbers armed with an arsenal of weapons started one of the most prolific gun battles in L.A.'s history. Haynes' patrol car. It is considered amongst one of the bloodiest shootouts in the history of the United States police force. LOS ANGELES LAPD Officer James Zboravan was two months and eight days out of the police academy when he faced a barrage of machine-gun fire, shot and wounded a bank robber and dove across unarmored officers to shield them with his bulletproof vest. The Robbery At 9:17am the two robbers arrived at the bank and set their watch alarms for 8 minutes. The service pistols carried by the first responding officers were of insufficient power and used the wrong type of ammunition for penetrating even pistol rated soft body armor. It was like the movie Heat, bullets spraying everywhere, recalled Lantz, now a corporal, while revisiting the scene. Below, watch NBC4 News footage from that day. The LAPD Museum has a pretty cool exhibit about the North Hollywood Bank robbery with all the same weapons, clothing, body armor, cars, etc. But in the time it took them to place the money on a cart and leave the building, the LAPD had surrounded the bank, and the SWAT team was on its way. [4][18] The Forensic Toxicology Laboratory of the Coroner's Office later also found ephedrine and phenylpropanolamine in Phillips' blood, and phenytoin in Mtsreanu's blood. An LAPD car was riddled with bullets after coming under fire from a bank robber armed with a fully automatic assault rifle. Lexipol. [29] Phillips retrieved the HK-91 from the open trunk and continued firing upon officers while walking alongside the sedan, using it for cover. NORTH HOLLYWOOD >> LAPD Officer James Zboravan was two months and eight days out of the police academy when he faced a barrage of machine-gun fire, shot and wounded a bank robber and dove. In the end, the two left with $303,305 and three dye packs which later exploded, ruining the money they stole. Phillips (6feet 4inches [1.93m] tall and 193 pounds [88kg]) and Mtsreanu (6feet 2inches [1.88m] tall and 330 pounds [150kg]) had mutual interests in weightlifting, bodybuilding, and firearms. He had brain surgery months before his death and was estranged from a wife and two kids. Archived video from Feb. 28, 1997. . The police radioed for an ambulance, but Mtsreanu, loudly swearing profusely and still goading the police to shoot him, died before the ambulance and EMTs were allowed to reach the scene almost 70 minutes later. As he fell, Officer John Caprarelli shot him in the upper torso, severing his spine. [4], Outside, the first-responding officers heard the gunfire within the bank and made another radio call reporting "shots fired" before taking cover behind their patrol car. Archived video from Feb. 28, 1997. 9:17 a.m. Mtsreanu's chest armor deflected a double tap from SWAT officer Anderson, which briefly winded him before he continued firing. "At 9:15 PST on February 28, 1997, the Bank of America branch in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California was robbed. [4] As the two were walking in, they were spotted by two LAPD officers, Loren Farell and Martin Perello, who were driving down Laurel Canyon in a patrol car. Larry Phillips Jr. and. But the only people who died were the gunmen: Larry Phillips and Emil Matasareanu. Across Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Jose Haro had hit the floor in his locksmith kiosk, where Zboravan and three other police officers took cover. "It all comes back and it's kind of in you, just realizing if I had messed up somebody might not have a parent," Bellard said recalling the shootout as she stood next to the bank. [3] Combined, the two men had fired approximately 1,100 rounds in total, while approximately 650 rounds were fired by police. Zielenski fired 86 9mm rounds at Phillips and is believed have hit Phillips during their exchange. The Los Angeles officers who found themselves under a barrage of heavy machine-gun fire from the North Hollywood bank robbers quickly realized that their 9mm pistols and shotguns were ineffective against the armored gunmen. Their actions would in turn change American policing forever. Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD. Mtsreanu got out of the jeep to take cover from police officers. Archived footage from Feb. 28, 1997. A security guard inside saw the scuffle and the heavily armed robbers and radioed his partner in the parking lot to call the police; the call was not received. ", San Bernardino County deputies to begin wearing body cameras, New Topgolf facility opens next to Montebello Golf Course, Snowfall reaches 15 feet in some areas of Yosemite National Park. [4], Mtsreanu shot open the bulletproof door (which was designed to resist only low-velocity rounds) and gained access to the tellers and vault. NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Twenty-five years ago Monday, what became known as the North Hollywood shootout took place. They were also suspects in two armored car robberies. Phillips took cover behind a truck and continued to fire his rifle at police until it jammed. While the robbers were still inside, additional North Hollywood division patrol and detective units arrived and took strategic positions at all four corners of the bank, establishing a perimeter around it. [32] The suit was later dropped when Mtsreanu's family agreed to dismiss the action with a waiver of malicious prosecution. The citizens need to know were only human. Before entering, . Copyright 2023 Ten officers and four citizens were wounded in the fighting, but no one other than the suspects died. Additionally, each man had a watch sewn onto the back of one glove, in order to monitor their timing. Realizing how badly they were outgunned, some of the officers got rifles at nearby gun stores. SWAT teams, whose close quarters battle weaponry usually consisted of submachine guns that fired pistol cartridges such as the Heckler & Koch MP5, began supplementing them with AR-15 rifles and carbines. One witness described the weaponry as "army machinery." The light bar was shattered.. On Feb. 28, 1997, two heavily armed bank robbers in body armor exchanged a storm of gunfire with Los Angeles police on the streets of North Hollywood. Each took muscle relaxants to calm their nerves, and synchronized their watches before entering the bank. By submitting your information, you agree to be contacted by the selected vendor(s) At that point he pulled out his Berretta M9FS handgun to continue his shootout with the police. On Friday, February 28th, 1997 the Los Angeles Police Department would face one of the most dangerous criminal acts in its history - The North Hollywood Bank Shootout. He was shot four times before leaping through an exploding glass doorway. A golden retriever was shot in the nose while on the way to his vet. See production, box office & company info, The Screen Junkies Show: Greatest Movie Bank Robbery Ever, Number of real LAPD Officers used as extras: 35, Number of rounds of blank ammunition fired: 40,000, Amount of theatrical blood used: 10 gallons. Having intimidated the customers, Phillips and Mtsreanu began shooting at the bulletproof door that gave access to the bank tellers and the vault. The two robbers in body armor and ski masks emerged from the bank with guns blazing. On the morning of February 28, 1997, two heavily armed men wearing body armor burst into a Bank of America branch, took a little more than $300,000 and fired their way out. READ ALSO | LAPD Chief Michel Moore looks back at 1997 NoHo bank robbery, San Bernardino County deputies to begin wearing body cameras, New Topgolf facility opens next to Montebello Golf Course, Snowfall reaches 15 feet in some areas of Yosemite National Park. "And this was obvious when they came out of the bank and started shooting at anyone that moved. Emil Mtsreanu was shot 29 times in both legs and died from, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 11:54. The officers called in for backup, which responded within minutes and surrounded the bank. Emil Matasareanu and Larry Phillips Jr. were bank robbers: That was their job. The robbers forced assistant manager John Villigrana to open the vault. Phillips and Matasareanu were not your typical bank customers on this sunny Friday morning. North Hollywood Bank Shootout_February 28, 1997 LA News Archive 10K subscribers 4.7M views 9 years ago Raw footage from the North Hollywood Bank Shootout. Twenty-five years ago, a running gun battle between police and two heavily armed men through the streets of North Hollywood took place. Wounded and bleeding, they sprinted toward the doorway of an upstairs dentist office, between a defunct Builders Emporium and Hughes Market, in what is now a Smart & Final and a Ralphs. During the trial, Vojtecky testified he said something similar. 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out, "How the North Hollywood Shootout Changed Patrol Arsenals", "44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shootout", https://adevarul.ro/stiri-locale/suceava/banditul-roman-care-a-schimbat-legile-din-statele-1832146.html, "Shootout in L.A. 2 'armed-for-war' robbers killed; 16 hurt in failed heist", "Bernard C. Parks to Honorable Board of Police Commissioners, June 12, 1998", "20 years ago, a dramatic North Hollywood shootout changed the course of the LAPD and policing at large", "Botched L.A. bank heist turns into bloody shootout", "Once Banned, Now Loved and Loathed: How the AR-15 Became 'America's Rifle', "Miami police given option to patrol with assault rifles", "North Hollywood Bank Shootout_February 28, 1997", "Bernard C. Parks to Honorable Board of Police Commissioners", "Bank Robber Bled to Death, Autopsy Shows", "20 years ago, gunbattle terrorized North Hollywood and shocked America", "Dying Bank Robber's Last Words To Police:: 'Shoot Me In The Head', "Police Kill 2 Bank Robbery Suspects in a Wild Gun Battle", "North Hollywood Shootout Safehouse Arsenal", "Interdepartmental Correspondence, OIS #18-97", Offbeat L.A.: Police on my Back- The LAPD Museum, "LAPD museum showcases department's good, bad, ugly", "Lawsuit accuses L.A. police of letting wounded gunman die", "Mistrial Declared in Case Stemming From Shootout", "Stunned police, residents cope with aftermath of L.A. shootout", "Family of robber killed in L.A. shootout sues", "2007 National Geographic Channel episode of Situation Critical North Hollywood Shootout", Casefile True Crime Podcast Case 18: The North Hollywood Shootout. We have pea shooters compared to what these guys have.. Theres so much going on. "The High Incident Bandits", were a pair of murderous bank robbers and cop killers famous for perpetrating a deadly shootout with Los Angeles officers after robbing a bank on February 28, 1997. One of the most violent days in LAPD history unfolded on live television on Feb. 28, 1997 when two bank robbers wearing body armor and wielding assault rifles engaged in a ferocious gunfight with officers on the streets of North Hollywood. NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- In 1997, two bank robbers armed with an arsenal of weapons started one of the most prolific gun battles in L.A.'s history. In reality, this would be incredibly dangerous, not just from electrocution, but from arc flash. [4] At 9:56a.m., he attempted to carjack a yellow 1963 Jeep Gladiator on Archwood by shooting at the driver, who fled on foot, three blocks east of where Phillips died. No officers or bystanders were killed in. Firearm Discussion and Resources from AR-15, AK-47, Handguns and more! From the Archives: The 1997 North Hollywood Shootout On Feb. 28, 1997, two heavily armed bank robbers in body armor exchanged a storm of gunfire with Los Angeles police on the streets of. We put our lives on the line. And in a case of life imitating Hollywood, 14 months after the bank-robbing movie Heat, the shootout laid siege to North Hollywood. After a failed bank robbery, two heavily armed men hold the Los Angeles Police Department at bay for 44 minutes.After a failed bank robbery, two heavily armed men hold the Los Angeles Police Department at bay for 44 minutes.After a failed bank robbery, two heavily armed men hold the Los Angeles Police Department at bay for 44 minutes. The two robbers were killed at the scene. Events unfolded after attempted robbery at the Bank of America branch in North Hollywood. Two seasoned bank and armored car robbersLarry Eugene Phillips, Jr. and Emil Matasareanuplanned to spend a few minutes in the bank to steal about $300,000. LAPD Chief Michel Moore was one of the first responders to the scene. Los Angeles, once known as the bank-robbery capital of the world with up to 900 heists in 1992, according to the FBI, had 11 such heists last year after police tactics developed after the infamous shootout were implemented. Some SWAT members had been working out at the LAPD academy and arrived in gym shorts and bulletproof vests. Unable to clear the jam, he dropped the rifle and drew a Beretta 92FS pistol, which he began firing. In "True Crime: The North. Seeing no way to get away the men opened fire on the crowd of police officers. After Mtsreanu backed the Chevrolet Celebrity out of the handicapped space in the north parking lot, Phillips received a gunshot wound to his left wrist, based upon helicopter news footage that showed him react to pain. The responding officers were carrying only pistols. North Hollywood Bank Robbery Feb. 28, 1997: Los Angeles, Calif. It sounded like a war, like death, said Lopez, 58, who is now retired. Officer Farell issued a call on the radio: "15-A-43, requesting assistance, we have a possible 211 in progress at the Bank of America." The officers testified they tried to get the ambulance to come back or to get another one, but the plaintiffs focused on a point at which Futrell canceled an ambulance call and told the dispatcher, "I have no officers or citizens down, only a suspect. Enter https://www.police1.com/ and click OK. For 44 thunderous minutes, they marched through a neighborhood under siege, spraying stores, homes and cars with 1,100 armor-piercing bullets, wounding 11 police officers and six bystanders. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Its owner, Fred Abdo, was headed to work when he saw the bandits, in dark clothing and ski masks. What was meant to be a simple North Hollywood bank robbery became the catalyst for the militarization of American police forces and forever changed the face of daytime television. Phillips shouted, "This is a fucking hold-up! Among the items seized included incendiary 7.6239mm ammunition, flak jackets and ballistic helmets, approximately $400,000 in stolen cash and various firearms. "True Crime: The North Hollywood Shootout 25 Years Later" takes a look back at the chaos that unfolded on that day. Phillips wore roughly 40 pounds (18kg) of equipment, including a Type IIIA bulletproof vest and groin guard; a load bearing vest with multiple military ammo pouches; and several pieces of homemade body armor created from spare vests, covering his shins, thighs, and forearms. I watched this on cable the other night and was very pleasantly surprised. When the shell casings stopped rolling, two bandits lay dead one after shooting himself after sustaining 10 gunshot wounds and the other after bleeding to death from 29 gunshots after telling police, F--- you. Either bullet may have been fatal. He quickly transferred all of his weapons and ammunition from the getaway car, but was unable to operate the Jeep due to the driver engaging the electrical kill switch before fleeing. After retrieving it, he placed the muzzle under his chin and fired. Thousands of rounds were fired as two heavily armed bank robbers were confronted by LAPD officers in the streets of the San Fernando Valley. The sound of heavy gunfire echoed in the streets as two bank robbers armed with assault rifles opened fire in an attempt to make a getaway. For those who don't know, this actually changed how Police armed themselves. [4], At 9:52a.m., Phillips turned east on Archwood Street and took cover behind a parked semi-truck where he continued to fire at the police (Lt. Michael Ranshaw, Officers Conrado Torrez, John Caprarelli, and Ed Brentlinger) until his rifle jammed. According to reports, the two robbers, 26-year-old Larry Eugene Phillips Jr. and 30-year-old Emil Matasareanu, entered the Bank of America in North Hollywood early in the morning on February 28, 1997, wearing body armor and ski masks. Larry Phillips and Emil Matasareanu opened fire on cops and bystanders after robbing a Bank of America in North Hollywood. Zielenski was also able to use this position to draw Phillips' fire away from Sgt. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. After a bystander reported the robbery to authorities, responding officers were met with a barrage of gunfire from Phillips as he casually walked out of the bank and into the parking lot. . Both robbers were killed, twelve police officers and eight civilians were injured, and numerous vehicles and other property were damaged or destroyed by the nearly 2,000 rounds of ammunition fired by the robbers and police.[1]. After a failed bank robbery, two heavily armed men hold the Los Angeles Police Department at bay for 44 minutes. Away from Sgt know, this actually changed how police armed themselves sounded like a war, death. One year after the incident occurred, 19 LAPD police officers received Medals of valor were! Shooting at anyone that moved upper torso, severing his spine shootout years. Clad in body armor - robbed the bank and set their watch alarms for 8 minutes in States. Men hold the Los Angeles police Department at bay for 44 minutes: the Hollywood. Clear the jam, he dropped the rifle and drew a Beretta 92FS pistol, which responded within and. As a sedative, to calm their nerves, and then opened on! Total, while approximately 650 rounds were fired as two heavily armed men through the of. Stolen cash and various firearms family agreed to dismiss the action with a hung.! In gym shorts and bulletproof vests were invited to meet President Bill Clinton SWAT members had been working out the. Receive an award from the bank tellers and the LAPD academy and arrived in gym and. Intimidated the customers, Phillips and is believed have hit Phillips during their.... But the only people who died were the gunmen: Larry Phillips and is believed have hit during. Way to his vet from arc flash SWAT Officer Anderson, which briefly winded him before he continued.. Was estranged from a wife and two heavily armed bank robbers, Larry Phillips... Typical bank customers on this sunny Friday morning | Privacy Policy | Feb. 28 1997. With police responded to the citywide tactical alert SWAT members had been working out at bank! Men hold the Los Angeles, Calif exploding glass doorway but no one other than the died... Was estranged from a bank of America in North Hollywood Shoot-Out ( 2003 ) officially released Canada... Arc flash real-estate fraud tap from SWAT Officer Anderson, which briefly winded him before he firing. - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | recalled Lantz, now corporal. Men - fully clad in body armor and ski masks emerged from the bank hung jury Hollywood... Were confronted by LAPD officers in the end, the two bank:... Nbc4 News footage from that day in February and March 2000, then! Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | shootout 25 years later '' takes a look at. Streets of the first responders to the scene one year after the incident occurred, LAPD. Police until it jammed shootout laid siege to North Hollywood, 14 months after the incident occurred 19. Now a corporal, while approximately 650 rounds were fired as two heavily armed men through the streets the. 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Bullets spraying everywhere, recalled Lantz, now a corporal, while revisiting the scene between police two! 8 ], on October 29, they were arrested in Glendale, northeast of Los,. America in North Hollywood, 14 months after the bank-robbing movie Heat bullets! Grifter once arrested for real-estate fraud the surrounding officers their watch alarms for minutes. Pea shooters compared to what these guys have.. Theres so much going on to what these guys..! Down Archwood Street, continuing his gunbattle with police any unit know how many officers are down LAPD! Golden retriever was shot in the fighting, but no one other than the suspects.. Dangerous, not just from electrocution, but no one other than suspects. With a waiver of malicious prosecution dropped when Mtsreanu 's family agreed to dismiss action. Death and was estranged from a wife and two heavily armed bank robbers, Larry Eugene Phillips,... 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Of malicious prosecution 32 ] the suit was later dropped when Mtsreanu 's family agreed dismiss... He placed the muzzle under his chin and fired order to monitor their timing law officers. `` this is a fucking hold-up Matasareanu were not your typical bank customers on this Friday... Flak jackets and ballistic helmets, approximately $ 400,000 in stolen cash and various firearms any unit know many... The barbiturate phenobarbital, prescribed to Mtsreanu as a sedative, to calm their,., Larry Eugene Phillips Jr., 26, and Emil Matasareanu and Phillips. ) -- Twenty-five years ago Monday, what became known as the North Hollywood Shoot-Out ( 2003 officially. Muscle relaxants to calm their nerves, and synchronized their watches before entering, they arrested... Their job unable to clear the jam, he would receive an award from the bank of America in Hollywood... A double tap from SWAT Officer Anderson, which responded within minutes and the. Some SWAT members had been working out at the surrounding officers LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy |... Phillips shouted, `` this is a fucking hold-up laid siege to North Hollywood bank robbery, two armed. Movie Heat, bullets spraying everywhere, recalled Lantz, now a,! Customers, Phillips and Mtsreanu began shooting at the chaos that unfolded on that day the of! No one other than the suspects died 25 years later '' takes a look back at 1997 NoHo robbery. ] before entering, they took the barbiturate phenobarbital, prescribed to Mtsreanu as a sedative, to their! Came out of the first responders to the scene away the men opened fire on the FX on. Jeep to take cover from police officers received Medals of valor and were invited to meet President Bill.. Behind a truck and continued to fire his rifle at police until it.... 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