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Karen Scullin reportingThe F.B.I. is recognizing two Utah law enforcers as heroes today.
Sgt. Randy Richey with the Utah Highway Patrol was driving along I-80 in Heber, when he spotted an eleven year old Michigan girl who was the focus of an Amber Alert several weeks ago.
And Doug Townsend, an officer with the Utah Bureau of Investigation helped nab three armed bank robbers.
Doug Townsend was inside a Murray bank on May 12, dressed in plain clothes, investigating a forgery. Suddenly three armed men blew through the door and started screaming demands.
No warning--no notes quietly passed to tellers. It was a "take-down" robbery. The kind that are violent, dangerous, and unpredictable.
Doug Townsend/ Utah Bureau of Investigation: "IT WAS BASICALLY JUST YELLING THROUGH THEIR COVERED FACES. GET DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN."
Everyone was forced on the floor at gunpoint...including Doug Townsend... an officer with the Utah Bureau of Investigation who was in the bank looking into a forgery.
Doug Townsend: "I KNEW FROM THE STYLE OF THE ROBBERY, THESE PEOPLE MEANT BUSINESS"
And he believes the wrong move could have been deadly. Townsend made a conscious decision *not* to interfere.
Doug Townsend: "THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT IF I WOULD HAVE TRIED TO ENGAGE THESE PEOPLE IN THE BANK, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE SHOT SOMEONE OR TAKEN SOMEONE HOSTAGE."
But letting them get away wasn't an option. When they were done inside, they fired a shot and left. Townsend ran out the door, fired a round at the suspect vehicle, and got critical information. Police had them in custody a short time later.
"Doug Townsend: THERE IS NOT DOUBT IN MY MIND, I KNOW THE CAR THEY WERE IN, I SAW THEM IN THE CAR, I SAW WHICH DIRECTION THEY WENT."
The three men are also suspected in several other bank robberies. Including a take-down in Bountiful in March. It was well organized, violent, and just as dangerous as the most recent case.
The F. B. I. made it clear when giving Townsend a law enforcement hero award today---he got a group of dangerous men off the street.
Doug Townsend: "I APPRECIATE THAT, I FEEL LIKE I WAS JUST DOING MY JOB"
Of course both men who received the awards today say they don't feel like heros, they were just doing their jobs, and they would do it again.
