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Here's one from way back.

May 3, 1969, about midnight, I was out riding around with two of my best friends when one got the bright idea to send a telegram to his girlfriend. She was local, it was just the novelty thing.

So we went into the Western Union office on Capitol, which was only a few blocks from 61 Riesner, HPD headquarters. My buddy was facing the wall writing out his telegram when a guy with a small nickel pistol walked in. I saw the gun and nudged my friends and told them.

By this time, he announced the holdup and forced us to climb over the counter into the back and then he followed. Fortunately, a patrol car came by and noticed this and HPD HQ must have emptied.

My friends, once behind the counter, joined the workers in crawling underneath desks. I found a refrigerator, probably there for employee use, and stood behind it. The BG had grabbed the manager and was trying to force him to get the money.

At this time, the cavalry arrived in platoon strength and started ordering the BG to drop his gun, which they did 3 times. The manager had separated himself somewhat and the shooting started. There were at least 7-8 officers at the front of their group that started shooting. Later, when HPD homicide was cleaning house, I obtained the actual case file. The BG had 31 entrance holes. Some of the officers had climbed onto the counter and were firing downward, so some shots went into the top of his head, including a .41 magnum.

One of my friends had some shrapnel wounds in his leg from officer ricochets and the manager suffered broken ear drums. My buddy didn't even notice his wounds until hours later when we were at HPD homicide giving statements.

But it was definitely an off day for the bad guy.

If you drive by this Western Union office, you will see that the counter now has partitions going to the ceiling. They were installed in 1969 immediately after this incident. I truly don't remember whether my buddy got to send his telegram or not.