Masked and armed robbers struck three Killeen convenience stores overnight, but fled from one empty-handed after the clerk took a swing at one of them with a baseball bat.

Police didn’t immediately say whether they suspect the three holdups were related, but all three were similar.

The suspects were either black or Hispanic, the victims said.

The first robbery was reported at around 10:35 p.m. Monday at the Gateway Food Mart at 104 West Elms Road.

The clerk told officers a man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black shorts entered the store, but remained near the door as a lookout while another man, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and dark colored shorts, walked in with a gun and demanded money.

The clerk grabbed the bat and moved toward the armed man, who fired a shot that missed.

The clerk then hit the would-be robber with the bat, causing the man to fall, police said.

Both men fled empty-handed.

No one was injured.

The second robbery was reported 15 minutes later at around 10:50 p.m. at the Star Mart at 1704 Old FM 440.

One man wearing black entered the store, stood as a lookout, and then a second man, who was armed and dressed entirely in black walked in and demanded money.

The two ran off with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The third robbery occurred just before 11 p.m. at the Star Mart at 4002 Watercrest Rd., where the same thing happened; one man entered the store and served as a lookout while a second, who was armed and wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and blue shots, walked in and demanded money

The two escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash.

No one was injured.

Investigators are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at (254) 526-TIPS.

Tips may also be submitted online.