Hold Your Fire

In 1973, a group of four young African-American men in Brooklyn, attempting to steal firearms for self-protection, found themselves trapped by the NYPD. This led to a fierce shootout that resulted in the death of a police officer and initiated the longest hostage standoff in the history of the NYPD. Traditionally, the NYPD’s 130-year-old protocol was to issue an ultimatum followed by the use of lethal force. However, police psychologist Harvey Schlossberg had a groundbreaking idea: could he persuade his superiors to engage in negotiations with the so-called “criminals” to prevent a looming massacre and rescue twelve hostages? Through previously unseen footage and compelling interviews with those who lived through it, HOLD YOUR FIRE reveals the true story behind this pivotal incident, which had the potential to transform policing practices in America.