Armored Car Guard Shoots Man In Robbery Attempt

An armored car driver opened fire on a man trying to take a bag of money from him, critically wounding the would-be robber outside a Rainier Beach McDonald's restaurant on Sunday morning, police said.

The man trying to rob the driver was hit three times, said spokeswoman for the Seattle Police Department Renee Witt. He was listed in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center.

WATCH IT: Controversy Over Shooting By Armored Car Guard

The incident happened about 10:20 a.m. at a McDonald's at Rainier Avenue South and 52nd Avenue South when a heavyset man approached a Garda armored driver as the driver approached his vehicle.

"I heard four shots -- pow, pow, pow pow. I was telling everybody, 'Get down, get down,' because I didn't know if there was a fight or what was going on," said Venessa Jones, a witness.

SLIDESHOW: Scene Of Attempted Heist UNCUT: Police Examine Armored Car Shooting Scene

Witnesses said it appeared the armored car driver and the alleged robber struggled over a bag of money.

"He kept grabbing for it, grabbing for it, and the guard guy pulled out his pistol," said Lily Million, a witness.

Police said the armored car guard shot six rounds and that the suspect was hit in the arm, chest and shoulder.

The manager of the McDonald's called 911 to report the shooting, and that’s when officers arrived to find the 40-year-old man on the ground.

At Harborview Medical Center Sunday evening, a crowd gathered to pray for the man who was shot. Several people said he did not have a gun when he allegedly tried to steal the money.

Police said that in the altercation, the armored car driver was knocked to the ground and fired shots because he feared for his safety.

The driver of the armored vehicle was not hurt.