[Walt Welch]

This incident was a true tragedy for the FBI, and as with all cases involving several combatants, there was confusion and mistakes were made. I can offer a few observations, having read the autopsy report several times over the last six months or so.

First; some posters seen enamored of the idea of shooting for the head. Well, I suppose that this makes sense if that is all you can see of the target, but I think you are overrating the effects of a shot which impacts the head. Remember that Matix was struck with a bullet which bruised his brain, and lodged in his sinus, and rendered him unconscious. He regained consciousness, however, and was able to shoot afterward.
Further Platt was also struck in the head, but this had little, if any, effect on him.

The single most outstanding fact of this debacle which has impressed me time and time again is that Platt died of the first wound inflicted, a 9mm Win Silvertip, quote:
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As Platt crawled through the passenger side window, one of Dove’s 9mm bullets hit his right upper arm, just above the inside crook of the elbow. According to Dr. Anderson, the bullet passed under the bone, through the deltoid, triceps and teres major muscles, and severed the brachial arteries and veins. The bullet exited the inner side of his upper arm near the armpit, penetrated his chest between the fifth and sixth ribs, and passed almost completely through the right lung before stopping. The bullet came to a rest about an inch short of penetrating the wall of the heart.

At autopsy, Platt’s right lung was completely collapsed and his chest cavity contained 1300 ml of blood, suggesting damage to the main blood vessels of the right lung. Dr. Anderson believes that Platt’s first wound (right upper arm/chest wound B) was unsurvivable, and was the primary injury responsible for Platt’s death
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Despite the many rounds fired at Platt, including Mireles' last shot fired at virtually point blank range, the perp. DIED OF THE FIRST WOUND HE RECEIVED.

This, to me, is not a problem of terminal ballistics. The man continued to shoot and kill for FOUR MINUTES after receiving this wound, yet was NOT hit lethally again.

My opinion as an Emergency Dept. physician with 20 year's experience, is that the 9mm. bullet performed admirably. What more do you want of a bullet? It severed his brachial artery at the elbow, which began spurting blood immediately and continued to do so; the lung was collapsed, pulmonary vessels severed, 1300cc of blood was in his chest (nearly 3 pints).

Bullet placement is essential. Even with a lethal first hit, subsequent lethal hits may well be required to stop the suspect. In fact, multiple lethal hits, until the suspect is immobilized is probably the best way to minimize danger to LEO's.

The search for the perfect bullet or perfect caliber is much like the persuit of the Holy Grail. You may think you have found it, but it is unlikely.

If there was a deficiency at the Miami Shoot out, it was one of tactics and execution, not one of terminal ballistics.

Of course, no bureaucracy is going to admit that their policies and procedures are faulty, unless forced to do so. In this case, the ammunition was a convenient scapegoat. The switch to 10mm. a plausible solution. Which didn't last, did it?

I can only hope that the FBI has quietly re-examined their felony stop procedures and implemented useful, effective changes.

Walter Welch MD, Diplomate, American Board of Emergency Medicine