Bakery owner shoots suspect wielding toy gun 7 times during robbery

CALUMET CITY, Ill. -- A bakery owner is still shaken up after two suspects allegedly attempted to rob Cal City Bakery Tuesday while he was making a cake, police said.

"I just thank God we're okay. It could have been much worse," the baker, who asked that ABC 7 not release his identity, said.

The baker said he got a bad feeling when the suspects asked him to move to the back of the bakery.

"They had the money already, why would they ask us to go to the back? It didn't seem or feel right," he said.

The baker then grabbed his own gun and fired, hitting one of the suspects seven times. However, the weapon the baker believed the suspects had was actually a very realistic-looking toy, police said.

"Gotta protect ourselves. I don't think I broke the law, just defended myself and my employee's life," he said. "I don't feel good about it. Just the way it happened."

"Bad guys should be aware: Owners have the right to carry on their own property and defend themselves," said Chief Edward Gilmore, Calumet City police.

Gilmore says the bakery owner did everything right; he has a FOID card, the gun is legal and so were his actions.

"When you feel your life is threatened and you've done everything right, you do have the right to protect yourself and that's what the business owner did," Gilmore said. "It should very well be a message to criminals."

The shaken baker opened his business briefly Wednesday to deliver a promised birthday cake.

"It's a shame people have to arm themselves just to defend what they're trying to make a living with," said Don Smith, a customer.

Police said the owner's actions were in the right even though the suspects' weapon was a toy, as it was still used under the pretense of a crime.

The injured suspect is hospitalized but expected to survive. The other suspect remains on the loose, police said.