‘That’s the robber:’ TV station’s live report on bank robbery interrupted when suspect returns

ROCHESTER, Minn. – A television reporter was doing a live update on a Minnesota bank robbery when police say the suspect returned to rob it a second time.

KIMT-TV reporter Adam Sallet was standing outside the Sterling State Bank in Rochester on Tuesday when a bank employee ran out and pointed at the robbery suspect who was leaving the scene.

“That’s the robber,” Sallet said on the air. “This is live TV folks. That’s the robber (who) just went by, according to the bank employee. I got to go here and call 911.”

The station returned to anchor Tyler Mickelson, who told the viewers, “I can assure you that was not set up.”

Sallet told The Associated Press that with a split second decision before him, he knew he had to dump out of the live shot.

“Once I saw him, I didn’t know what to do,” Sallet told the AP. “… I decided I’d better be a good citizen and call 911.”

Police were able to determine the suspect had left in a vehicle, heading north on U.S. Highway 52. A Rochester police officer and troopers with the Minnesota State Patrol spotted the vehicle, pulled the suspect over and arrested him.

Sallet’s interrupted live shot attracted thousands of views on YouTube.

___

Information from: Post-Bulletin, http://www.postbulletin.com