A couple in Laconia, New Hampshire, survived what they are calling the most horrifying night of their lives, after they were held at gunpoint for more than an hour Tuesday night.
Jillian and Jordan Smith said there were hanging out at the park behind the Laconia Library when a man approached them and pulled a gun.
"He whipped it out and held it right at me and told me to shut up," Jillian Smith recalled.
Police said it was a revolver, and Jillian is convinced it was loaded.
"I just dropped to the ground and started crying and screaming," she said.
Laconia Police say at about 10:30 p.m., David Bickford took the Smiths hostage for more than an hour, marching them through city streets, and promising to pull the trigger if they didn't find his lost duffle bag.
"The most fear I've ever gone through in my life," Jillian said.
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Jillian escaped, ran to a friend's house, and called police.
Meanwhile, police say Bickford was forcing Jordan Smith to rob the Laconia Spa convenience store.
Jordan said once inside, he knew he could get away.
"I said, 'there's a guy out there who is going to shoot me,'" Jordan told necn.
So, the clerk called 911, Jordan ran into the basement, and police eventually caught up with the suspect.
Laconia Police Capt. Matt Canfield said the Smiths and Bickford are familiar with each other, but that the Smiths were true victims in this case.
Wednesday afternoon, investigators were still searching for the gun to make a stronger case against Bickford.
"This had a lot of potential to go really bad and cause a lot of harm," Capt. Canfield said.
But it didn't. And for that, the Smith's are thankful, knowing Tuesday night could've been their last.
"I don't think he was going to let me go," Jordan said. When asked if he thought he was going to die, Jordan said, "Pretty much, yeah."
Police said Bickford appeared to be under the influence when they arrested him.
He's being held on $50,000 bail.
