Surveillance video shows the suspect hit the clerk before grabbing cash in the register at Kam's Market. As the suspect placed the money into a box, the clerk reached for a gun in a drawer.
Mark Kastrowitz is the clerk and later watched this dramatic video.
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"I was certainly in shock when I saw the video. I didn't know how serious it was until I actually saw it," said Kastrowitz.
The owner of the store says another attack was happening off camera.
"There were two guys. One was holding onto my other employee in the back with a gun and one came around here to try and rob us," said Kamal Sandhu, store owner.
Kastrowitz went down, but he didn't go down for good; he crept back up, got pushed but didn't give up and then grabbed the store's gun.
"I don't know if it was fear and adrenaline kicked in together, but I tried to protect myself a little. He forced me onto the ground, he held me down," said Kastrowitz.
That's when the situation escalated -- the intruder started to hit Kastrowitz and the gun went off. The robber started to run and then you hear another shot -- Kastrowitz shooting the robber, who later collapsed and died. The second man got away. Kastrowitz has 12 staples in his head- he hasn't thought too much about the man who died.
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"Sure he is deceased now but then again I'm lucky to be alive, I am lucky my co-worker is alive," said Kastrowitz.
Ironically, the store has a sign above the counter that reads "No trespassing. Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again." Sandhu says he bought it years ago from a Blockbuster video store that was closing. It was always meant as a joke.
Kastrowitz says this will not keep him from doing his job. He is ready to back to work as soon as possible.