Pensacola Police officers arrive in time
The January 8, 1948 edition of the Pensacola News Journal reported what happened:
On Wednesday, January 7, 1948, business was usual in downtown Pensacola. The Florida National Bank (now Seville Tower) stood tall at the northeast corner of Palafox and Government Streets.
Suddenly, just before noon, in front of a host of people, a man brazenly walked out the front door of the bank carrying a satchel in one hand and a pistol in the other. He didn’t run, he walked.
In the next few seconds, a Pensacola Police patrol car screeched up to the curb. Officers Buddy Peake and Louis Champa jumped out and called to the man, who started off at a dead run. Both officers drew their service revolvers and opened fire, dropping the suspect in his tracks. Good work…maybe.
What happened next was the bewildering part. After someone called, “Cut!,” The officers walked over to the man, who, unharmed, got up, smiled and walked back to the bank with Peake and Champa – but not in custody.
Then the movie camera was seen. A documentary was being filmed by the U.S. Navy entitled, “Poverty Can be Dangerous,” and two of Pensacola’s Finest were the stars.