ORLANDO, Fla. – An armored van driver shot a suspect during an attempted robbery in an Orlando Wawa on Thursday, officials with the Orlando Police Department said.
Orlando police and fire responded to the convenience store on South Goldenrod Road and Hoffner Avenue close to the Orlando International Airport at 3:57 p.m.
Orlando Police Sgt. Eduardo Bernal said Elrod Curry approached the Loomis van driver from behind as he was servicing the gas station's ATM and sprayed him in the face with pepper spray.
"When he went to do the robbery is when he drew his pepper spray and doused the armored service technician in the face," Bernal said.
Despite feeling the effects of the pepper spray, the driver was able to fire a shot, which struck Curry in the chest. Curry was captured inside the convenience store, according to authorities.
No one else was injured, police said.
Investigators said the driver had more than $5,000 with him.
Bernal said Curry was in critical but stable condition and will be charged with robbery with a weapon once he's released from the hospital. He did not face a judge Friday for a first appearance.
Curry was arrested last year for driving under the influence when an officer found him asleep at the wheel. He was due in court last month for a parole violation.
The armored van driver didn't have much to say about Thursday's attack when News 6 spoke with him while he was recovering at his home.
News 6 reached out to Loomis, the security transportation company who employed the driver, to ask why the driver had been working alone when so many armored car crews work in pairs. Neither the Orlando office nor their world headquarters in Sweden have responded.
Check back to ClickOrlando.com and watch News 6 for updates.