A group of armed robbers entered a store in Bakerfield, California, and thought they’d leave with whatever they wanted. Instead, they left in a mad scramble after a clerk grabbed his gun, and put it to good use:

A man is in critical condition after he was shot in the head by a store clerk, officials said.

At about 1 a.m. Monday,  Bakersfield police officers were sent to the Mi Tierra Market located at 300 South Owens St. regarding a robbery.

Officials said the store clerk told them that he had shot one of the suspects.

Officers said they found evidence that was consistent with one of the suspects being shot, but the suspects had since fled from the store.

Officers said the clerk said three men entered the business and at least one of the suspects was armed with a handgun. The clerk said the men ordered the store employees to the ground at which time the victim retrieved a handgun and fired a single round at the suspects, officers said.

At 1:05 a.m., the BPD received a call from Kern Medical Center indicating that a victim of a gunshot wound to the head that had arrived at the hospital by taxi, officers said.

The wounded man led police to two others who are presently in custody, and there is a fourth suspect that is apparently known to police and is currently on the run.