Another Armed Citizen Protects Business.

[Lars]

Unlike the Wal-Mart / Granny story. This one the Innocents had their heads on straight.

Business Owner Shoots At Suspects After Walking In On Robbery - News Story - WFTV Orlando

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Orange County deputies are searching for one of two armed suspects who got into a shootout with a man when he caught them burglarizing his business and it happened next to a daycare full of children.

The shootout happened at the All Family Chiropractic Center in Pine Hills (see map) and, with bullets flying into a busy street, investigators said it's amazing no one was hit. The suspects never got to fill their U-Haul with any loot. They ditched it a short distance from the office where witnesses heard the owner exchange gunfire with two men who broke into his business.

"I didn't know what was going on. I thought it was firecrackers early in the morning, but it was not," said witness Parker McPhee.

Orange markers in Pine Hills Road marked some of the bullets made it into the street Wednesday morning. Investigators said the owner was checking out a burglar alarm at his office when he caught two men in the act.

"When they see him, they are armed, and they open fire on him. He also was armed and he returns fire on them," said Jeff Williamson, Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies caught one of the men soon after they parked the U-Haul between two houses.

The shootout happened next to the Tiny Praying Hands daycare, where more than 20 kids were already inside. Still, the owner defended her neighbor's decision to shoot back at the burglars.

"I hope they catch the guys who did this. You have a right to protect your business. We get up every morning, work hard and it's not right that people come in and take what we have," Renee Harris said.

Deputies have not identified any of the suspects. Deputies caught one of them, but they're searching for a second man who ran off on foot.