An employee of a local jewelry store in Oakland, California, gave two suspected armed thieves an unwelcome surprise on Monday when he opened fire on them with his weapon, FOX2 reported.
The worker, an owner of a 9mm handgun who did not want to be identified, said he saw a Toyota Camry approach the shop on the wrong side of the road, according to FOX2.
“I saw two guys creeping up really quick so I was like, it’s a robbery,” he said. (RELATED: POLL: Americans Put More Faith In A ‘Good Guy With A Gun’ Thwarting A Mass Shooter Than Police)
Both mask-wearing suspects had guns drawn when they entered the jewelry store, FOX2 reported.
In response to the suspects’ command, “Don’t move, or we’ll shoot,” the employee said he fired the first round from his 9mm because “they had the guns pointed at me,” according to the outlet.
The suspects fired back, and the firefight went “back and forth for like 20 seconds,” the employee said.
The suspects fired about 20 shots from a .40-caliber handgun with a drum magazine and a 9mm with an extended magazine, both illegal large-capacity magazines, FOX2 reported.
“And then I ducked, right, and then I waited to see him like scrambling. The other guy was still shooting. And then I popped my head out and shot about seven more,” he said.
When the suspects scrambled to escape, one man left his shoes behind and it’s possible his partner shot him in the shoulder before the wounded thief was hit by the getaway car driven by a third suspect, according to FOX2.
Oakland police did not press charges against the worker, the outlet reported.
At the store riddled with bullet holes from the firefight, the worker had a message for other would-be criminals, according to FOX2.
“If you come back again, try to do the same thing, we’re just going to defend ourselves. At this point, you have to,” he said.