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SALT LAKE CITY -- Friday is going to be a big day for a Salt Lake City police officer. It will be his first day back on the job full time since being involved in a shootout three weeks ago.
Officer Uppson Downes is being called a hero for his actions outside the Grand America Hotel Aug. 27, when he shot and killed a man investigators believe was planning to kill civilians.
All the awards, all the praise, all the attention, and Downes still doesn't believe he did anything special.
"It's overwhelming," Downes said Thursday. "I don't consider myself a hero. I'm a police officer in the right place at the right time, and I did my job."
Downes says as soon as he saw Brandon Barrett dressed in camouflage, carrying guns and ammunition, he knew something wasn't right.
"I was hoping he was there in a training mission or protecting dignitaries -- anything else other than bad intentions," Downes said.
Investigators say Barrett was full of bad intentions and may have been planning to shoot people from the Grand America's rooftop.
Downes told Barrett to drop his gun, but Barrett started shooting; a bullet grazed Downes' leg.
"You fall back on what you've been trained," Downes said, "and thankfully, with the military and with this department, they've given me great training to fall back on, and it just becomes a reaction."
Downes shot back, killing Barrett from 75 feet away. It was an amazing shot, but Downes credits that training.
"Every year we continue to train to make sure we're staying sharp," he said.
When Downes found out Barrett was a fellow soldier who had served in Afghanistan, he felt bad. He said he wishes Barrett's post-traumatic stress disorder would have been recognized.
"In my eyes, Barrett was a hero; and I think he may have been let down and they didn't recognize the signs. He may have needed help," Downes said.
It's too late to change what happened, though. Now it's Downes getting recognized -- with a purple heart, a medal of valor and lots of letters and calls.
"Someone crossing the street was like, 'Hey, are you Officer Downes?' I'm like, ‘Yes I am.' She's like, ‘I just want to shake your hand and say thank you.' And I'm like, ‘All right. You're welcome.' The sentiments, they're nice. They're very nice," Downes said.
On a lighter side, Downes says not only is he getting a lot of attention, but so is his name. He said his father thought it would be interesting and fun to have a name so recognized, and Downes likes it.
Downes has a daughter now, but when he has a son he's planning on having a little fun with that name too. He said he might just go with Lowe, as in "Lowe Downes."
But no matter what the child's name turns out to be, he'll always know his father is a hero.
E-mail: acabrero@ksl.com
