Robbery suspect wielding toy gun shot by heat-packing victim

A suspect is in critical condition after his toy gun was met with real gunfire in an attempted robbery Sunday in Houston.

Police said four people were leaving work about 2 a.m. Sunday outside a Houston nightclub. They were sitting inside a vehicle getting ready to leave when three men in a white car pulled up, got out of the car with guns drawn, and began demanding money, a local ABC News affiliate reported.

As the suspects were taking one of the victim’s purses, one of the workers pulled out a gun and began shooting, The Blaze reported.

“He said, ’Give me your money.’ I don’t carry cash so I gave him my card and my ID,” one of the victims told ABC. “As soon as he slapped out of my hand, my brother stepped out of the car, [shot] them both twice in the chest, the guy fell to the ground, I ran to him, kicked him in his face, grabbed his gun and it turned out to be a fake gun. It wasn’t even real.”

One of the suspects was shot several times and is in critical condition. Another suspect may have been hit as well, but managed to get away with the other suspect after jumping into a waiting car, police said. The men were able to obtain one of the victims’ purses, which contained a pistol, ABC reported.

Police recovered an airsoft BB gun from the scene and said it belonged to the suspect, who is in critical condition. The other men may have had real guns, but police cannot say that for sure.

Police said the nightclub employee who fired his weapon was defending himself and his coworkers.