Joe Malinconico

Paterson Press

PATERSON – Three men wearing masks and wielding handguns tried to rob a bodega Wednesday evening but left empty-handed because there was no money in the cash-register, police said.

The incident happened at Mia Grocery at the corner of Mercer and Lafayette streets at about 4:45 p.m., police said.

As they entered the store, the would-be robbers knocked one employee to the ground, then threatened to shoot another worker who was behind a Plexiglass barrier unless he gave them access to the cash register, police said.

VIOLENCE: Shootings underscore high levels of fear in Paterson

ARREST MADE: Paterson police hunt down shooting suspect

GOVERNMENT: Paterson weighs new fees for its municipal ID cards

Once the suspects discovered the register was empty, one of them struck another employee in the head with his gun and then the three of them fled, police said.