On April 11, 1986, a gunfight occurred between two heavily armed robber-killers and a squad of FBI agents.  In a battle to the death that lasted for minutes and went into a three-figure count of shots fired, the two criminals and two of the agents died. Three more agents suffered gunshot wounds that left them permanently injured, and two more were hit but recovered completely from their wounds.  This cataclysmic incident led to profound changes in law enforcement armament, ammunition, and tactical procedures nationwide.

At the end of that lethal duel, it was Special Agent Edmundo Mireles who finally killed both gunmen, fighting through severe wounds and loss of blood himself. Because studying gunfights is part of my job, it’s something I’ve written about many times, interviewing some of the surviving participants including Mireles.  

Now, Ed has written a book telling his own story and learning points.  You can order it here: https://edmireles.com/.  One thing that particularly impresses me is that it is co-authored by his wife, Elizabeth.  In part of the book, she, an FBI Special Agent herself, tells her side of the story.  Too many people perceive themselves alone against the antagonist, like a science fiction thriller set on a desert planet. We all need to remember that what we’re fighting for is to stay alive for the people we love, the people who love and need us.  Her perspective is a critical, often missed element, and I was glad to see it in the book.

I’ll be doing a write-up on the book and my more recent discussions with Ed in a forthcoming issue of American Handgunner magazine.

But, more important, you can hear it in person from Ed himself.

Ed has lectured on the incident and its learning points many times to law enforcement personnel. When he and I were talking about the book, I suggested he make his lectures available to law-abiding armed citizens as well.  He was agreeable, and I hooked him up with John Murphy in Virginia.  Ed will be doing a five-hour presentation for John on August 25, 2018, in Chantilly, VA, hosted by John. To sign up, go here.

Ed will also be giving this lecture for Tom and Lynn Givens of Rangemaster on December 1, 2018, in Tampa, Florida.  You can sign up here. I hope to attend that one myself.

In the early 1990s, I brought Ed in to give his lecture for American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers.  The experience was absolutely spell-binding.  I think you’ll appreciate his hard-learned knowledge as much as we all did then.

If you can’t make the seminar, definitely order the book.  It isn’t just about gunfighting. It’s about facing death with others dying around you, and even if you don’t own a gun, Ed’s insightful lessons on survival mentality are solid gold.

16 COMMENTS

      • I’ll bet it will find a solid market. I’d certainly buy that set. Reading a book is one thing, hearing the guy tell it in his own voice would be yet anohter. How many can attend each of these live events? How many can afford the travel and time off toGO?

        His lectures on audio WOULD find a market.

  4. I’ve studied the case extensively as well Mas and have seen many of the crime scene photographs including the ones of the bad guys. I hope you and EP make it to Ed’s lecture, let us remember that both offenders’ toxicology screens were negative and yet they were able to cause all this havoc and sorrow. I look forward to your AH article in a bit too.

  7. The Older PI’s Who taught me what to do, in such a Situation, Stressed That “YOU Only Need One Round, Per Bad Guy, so long as You Don’t Miss, and That YOU Deliver it to a Fatal Area, of the Target”!

    Paul

  8. I just finished reading the book. It’s a must read. Like Newhall, a watershed incident we must learn from. And it’s great that we have the opportunity to meet and listen to the insights of this hero.

  10. I too wish for a CD/DVD.
    Please pass that on for me.

    Living out here in the sticks it’s a bit of an issue traveling, and I really want to hear it direct.

  11. I’d hope that a DVD would be available. I’d love to attend, but I’ve got some issues that will probably prevent it and will be buying the book.

  13. Looking forward to it. Some people may tire of hearing about it, but it seems that every lesson is in that incident.

    Everyone who had a back up gun used it. At least a couple of people needed a back up gun and did not have one. At least one person was struck in their strong hand. A basically perfect shot to center mass did not stop the fight. And much of the shooting (and good guy missing) was beyond the stereotypical 7 yards.

    But the biggest tactical issue seemed to me to be that the two long guns that showed up for the fight (for the good guys) were full-length shot guns. Backseat queens, only one of which got in the fight. If every good guy car that day had a long gun of some sort that was handy, it may have been over fast. A Colt Commando, an MP5, a folding stock / short barrel 870, whatever. Even old paratrooper M1 Carbines could have done wonders. Anything that could have ridden up in the font seat. The bad guys had a compact rifle in the front seat, and the good guys did not.

    It is with amusement that the FBI blamed the 9mm, took a hacksaw to its 870’s, and then reissued the 9mm.

    But it always did impress me, and I am sure everyone, that Mireles suffered such a horrific wound but then got up on his feet and killed the sociopaths. Sheer force of will. Congressional Medal of Honor level grit. Can not wait to hear more.

  14. One of the other surviving FBI agents in that gunfight was John Hanlon. Massad Ayoob interviews him about that gunfight at http://www.proarmspodcast.com. Look for the “Gunfight survivors” tab. Look for show “065 John Hanlon remembers.”

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