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Customer Describes Escape From Bank During Robbery

By Karen Morfitt

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4)- A woman inside a Lakewood bank hit by armed robbers says she's fortunate she made it out safely.

The Lakewood resident, who asked us not to use her name, went into the 1stBank on Jewell and Kipling on Wednesday not knowing the seemingly normal stop would change her life.

"I feel very blessed and fortunate that... uh, nothing worse happened," she said.

She was making a deposit when three men burst through the doors. They were carrying guns and wearing "Scream" type masks, similar to those used in a separate heist in September, at a different bank in Lakewood.

Investigation (1) scream robbery
The US Bank on Carr Street (credit: FBI)

"One man went towards the vault he was yelling for the manager and another man went towards the other teller line and one of them came walking towards me," she told CBS4.

That's when she says she made a split second decision to make a break for the door.

"It was gut instinct at that point. Something told me I just needed to get out of there and run… and I did."

Without looking back she made it to her van. Once inside she didn't speed a way… instead she drove just far enough.

"I went and parked, I kind of was watching the whole thing, I had 911 dispatch was on the phone, I was telling them bit by bit what was happening."

From there the suspects would carry out a terrifying crime spree, stealing multiple cars, shooting two people and assaulting another.SHERIDAN REC CENTER 5PKG.trajnsfer

Police would capture one of the men outside Sheridan High School but the other two me remain at large.

"What I did something could have really gone wrong and I'm still fortunate and blessed that it didn't."

The suspect taken into custody yesterday is identified as 28-year-old Miguel David Sanders Jr. He's currently being held on $1 million bond.

Sheridan active Shooter
(credit: CBS)

According to arrest paper work one of those injured is in critical condition the other two are at home recovering.

The Lakewood police department is the lead agency in the investigation and is working in conjunction with several law enforcement agencies including the FBI safe streets task force.

Anyone who feels they may have information that would assist detectives in their investigation is asked to call the Lakewood police department, their local police department or Crime Stoppers.

Karen Morfitt Joined the CBS4 team as a reporter in 2013. She covers a variety of stories in and around metro Denver. Follow her on Twitter @karenmorfitt or email her tips.

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