Salt Lake police officer, hotel worker honored for stopping gunman

SALT LAKE CITY — Shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 27, Salt Lake police officer Uppsen Downes pulled up to the light at 600 S. State. Pedestrians started tapping on the windows of his patrol car, pointing across the street to The Grand America Hotel, where an armed man in military combat gear was pacing.

Robyn Salmon, a security employee at the hotel and former longtime police department secretary, had just shown that man out of the lobby into an underground parking garage and called the police. Downes started to hear requests for officers over his radio.

The two quiet, unassuming heroes were honored Monday for their roles in defusing what could have been a much deadlier incident. Downes, 34, received a Purple Heart and the Medal of Valor, the department's highest honor. Salmon, 59, was awarded a public service medal.

Thanks to them, the only life lost was that of the gunman, a troubled veteran.

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker paid tribute to their bravery and quick thinking Monday in a brief ceremony at the Salt Lake City-County Building. Their actions "averted what could have been an absolute disaster situation," Becker said.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Lohra Miller on Friday sent a letter to the police department stating that Downes' use of deadly force against Army Spec. Brandon S. Barrett, 28, was "legally justified."

Police Chief Chris Burbank said Barrett had posted online his intent to do something in Salt Lake City that would make him famous. The Army veteran told friends he was going to make a name for himself, Burbank said.

Eight days before the shooting, Barrett had been classified as a deserter from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, in Tacoma, Wash. He served in Afghanistan with a NATO security task force from July 2009 to June 2010.

Burbank said it's not clear how long Barrett had been in the city when he showed up at the Grand America carrying a .223-caliber assault rifle, two handguns, a bipod and almost 1,000 rounds of ammunition. He was wearing a bulletproof vest, shoulder pads and a helmet.

Salmon, whose father was an assistant Salt Lake police chief, worked for the department for 37 years before going to work at the hotel five years ago. She was supposed to leave work at 3 p.m. that day but stayed late to help someone with a problem at a parking booth.

She came back into the lobby right behind Barrett and noticed the rifle slung over his shoulder, his hand on the pistol grip. He walked to an elevator. Salmon asked if she could help him.

"I need to go up," he told Salmon. To what floor? "Just up," he said.