An 80-year-old California liquor shop owner has thwarted a burglary attempt in his store by firing his shotgun at a suspect, who came armed with an assault rife.

Footage retrieved from the establishment's security camera shows the alleged burglar retreating after the octogenarian shoots him.

The attempted robbery took place at Norco Market and Liquor in Riverside Country at around 2:45 a.m. ET Sunday, CBS News reported.

Footage shows one of the suspects yelling commands as he approaches the owner, identified as Craig Cope. Almost instantly, the owner whips out a shotgun and shoots him in the arm.

The injured suspect immediately retreats and runs out of the shop, screaming, "He shot my arm off! He shot my arm off!"

Warning: This video might be disturbing to some viewers

The injured suspect and a companion quickly huddle into a waiting BMW and drive off. A third individual then races to catch up to the SUV as it flees.

Footage also shows the owner checking if the men are gone.

"They came in telling him, 'Freeze,' and something about, 'This is a robbery," Marnie Tapia, a store employee, told the outlet. "I'm sure [the owner] thought, 'No, it ain't,' because he just opened fire."

Cameras from the store reportedly show at least four suspects using a rear door to exit the store before getting in the parked car.

Police located the suspects at a nearby hospital as they got medical attention for their wounded companion, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said in a statement. While the injured suspect was undergoing treatment, the other suspects reportedly waited inside the SUV, which had allegedly been stolen and filled with "numerous stolen firearms."

All the suspects were being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center for robbery and conspiracy, while the injured one remained hospitalized as of Monday. He is currently listed in stable condition and will be booked into the Riverside County jail upon his release.

The owner suffered a heart attack following the shooting. The store's employees told NBC New York that he's currently recovering and is expected to return to work soon.

"In this case, a lawfully armed member of our community prevented a violent crime and ensured their own safety, while being confronted with multiple armed suspects," police said in a statement. "This investigation is active and ongoing and no additional information will currently be released."

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Representational image Pixabay
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