The surveillance footage shows the 16 year old wearing a blue hoodie approaching the check out counter. When the cashier rings up the item the 16 year old throws on the counter, the kid pulled an airsoft gun and demanded money.

That’s when the cashier pulled his own gun, scaring the 16 year old and his accomplice out of the store.

The cashier ran after the pair of thieves, shooting his gun after them.

“He’s fortunate that he wasn’t shot, he’s fortunate he wasn’t killed,” said Chief Bill Kushner, of the Des Plaines Police Department. “People are going to get killed as a result of crimes with air soft guns and they’re not going be the victims, they’re going to be the offenders.”

“We had tremendous cooperation from people in the neighborhood who came out as witnesses and said hey, I saw this guy ducking behind the garbage can before he jumped in the car and I saw them before they went into the store,” Kushner said.

Police tracked down the armed robber and his accomplice. The pair confessed to multiple robberies in the area and will be charged in six armed robberies, three in Des Plaines and three in other jurisdictions. Police confirm one of the offenders has a history of gang activity as well.