Local family recounts terrifying ordeal, being taken hostage in Montana

LAKE STEVENS, Wash.  --  It's a family road trip Robert and Becky Jensen will never forget.

“There was a gun in my face. Literally, I opened up the front door and it was right there,” says Robert.

The family stopped at a gas station connected to a casino in Montana.  Robert and his 12-year-old son walked in on an armed robbery.

“My son says mom there’s guys with guns and they're robbing the place,” says Robert.

Robert convinced the two gunmen to let him and his boy go. They ran to their SUV and Becky called 911; her 14-year-old daughter and 70-year-old mother in the back seat.

“The doors to our vehicle flew open and these guys came in with their guns,” says Robert.

The gunmen took the Jensen family hostage and crammed into the SUV with all five of them.

“They tell me to drive and I drive,” says Becky.

Becky's cell phone is still connected to 911.

“As soon as she ran the red light, it lit up like Christmas trees behind us,” says Robert.

With dozens of officers behind them, Becky convinces the gunmen to release her daughter.

“He made a comment that he was a dad and I’m like, I’m a mom! Let's not drive this fast! Let's slow down,” says Becky.

A few miles later the men released their son and grandma, too.

“I said I love you son and he said I know daddy.  At that point in time I wasn't sure if I wasn't going to see my children again,” says Robert.

That's when it escalated. One of the gunman took the wheel.

“He made a u-turn and fired a shot at the police officers,” says Robert.

After losing police, they pulled off the road.

“All of a sudden they kill the lights and they start going down this dirt road. I’m pretty sure what was going on in Becky's head was the same as my head. This is it,” says Robert.

But Becky isn't done negotiating, offering 'scouts honor' in return for their safety.

“I’m a girl scout.  You can trust me. I’m not calling the cops. I do have to call them because they have my kids,” says Becky.

The two gunmen tell Becky and Robert to wait 30 minutes before calling police, finally freeing the terrified couple.

The entire ordeal lasted two hours.  Both suspects are being held behind bars without bond.