44 Minutes - Development

Development

"44 Minutes" is based on the famous North Hollywood shootout. The title of the song itself is derived directly from the film 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out, an FX Network original film that was also based on the event, referring to the 44 Minutes of the duration of the shootout. The song is not the first piece of music to be based on the event, the album North Hollywood Shootout by the jam band Blues Traveler was also based on the incident, but took more liberties with their interpretation.

On the morning of Feb. 2, 1997, Larry Phillips, Jr. and Emil Mătăsăreanu, both who were on barbiturate phenobarbital, attempted to rob the Bank of America, possessing two modified Romanian AIMS assault rifles, an AK-47 style rifle, and one modified Norinco Type 56 S-1, a semi automatic HK91, a modified Bushmaster XM15 E2S and their getaway vehicle. After listening to their radio scanners, the two walked into the bank, and forced the assistant manager to open the vault after firing several rounds. Due to an altercation with the delivery schedule, the bank only carried $303,305, which the two took with them when they fled through the north doorway. They faced dozens of LAPD police officers and SWAT commanders, who the duo shot at extensively, injuring 19 people. Ultimately, after a long shootout between the police and the perpetrators, both Phillips and Mătăsăreanu failed to get away with the money and were killed. Phillips died of his self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, and bled to death before medical assistance could be brought to his aid, and Mătăsăreanu was shot 29 times in the shins and feet and died from trauma due to loss of blood. A majority of the event was broadcast live by news helicopters.