Read Entire Officer Interview
June 7, 1999
The Murray police officer who was shot during an incident at Zion's bank last week survived four bullet wounds.
Today he told Eyewitness News of the terrifying turn of events that nearly ended his life.
It started with a routine call, a forgery at a branch of Zion's Bank.
Murray Police Officer, Ross Huff, wasn't on duty, but he responded anyway.
Forgery is usually a routine call.
But on this day, things were different.
Police say 30-year-old Quentin Hurlick walked out of the bank, after trying to cash a stolen check for $1,400, and jumped into his car. Officer Huff just arrived at the bank.
He says, "I began to walk towards his vehicle and hollered out 'Hey' and it was at that time that he produced a gun and began to fire. There wasn't time to be afraid. There was just time to react and do what I had to do to keep out of harm's way."
But harm found him anyway. Officer Huff says the suspect fired a round of shots that hit him in the leg, the wrist and the waist.
In a pool of blood he called for help.
911 tape: "Saftey One, I need medical." "Are you hurt?" "I've been shot two, three times."
Officer Huff says, "I hollered out a code that to other officers means help me right now and let them know that I'd been hit two or three times and I needed medical."
Officer Huff was about to celebrate his five year anniversary with the force. And he says in spite of it all, he wants to return as soon as he's well. In the future, though, he says he'll do some things differently.
"I'll probably wear my vest more often," he says.
Doctors say after being shot so many times at such close range, Officer Huff is lucky to be alive. He will spend one more week at LDS Hospital. Then he will continue his recovery with physical therapy at home.
