HOUSTON -- An off-duty Fort Bend County deputy was forced to open fire Monday morning when he walked into a robbery at a CVS.

The incident occurred at S. Gessner and Beechnut around 1:40 a.m.

When the deputy walked into the pharmacy, he saw an armed black male with a stocking over his head.

The suspect had four employees and an armed security guard at gunpoint and had taken cash from the front register.

“Pretty bold to walk in when you’ve got an armed security guard standing there and he goes ahead and carries on with his robbery,” HPD Detective Fil Waters said.

The deputy pulled his weapon, and the suspect ran out the door with the money.

The suspect and the deputy exchanged gunfire as the suspect fled, but no one was hit.

It was unclear how much money the suspect got away with.

A homicide detective at the scene would not elaborate on why the security guard didn’t stop the suspect, saying only that he removed himself from the situation.

Police are still searching for the robber.