A security guard at a Union City gas station has been hospitalized after a shootout with a suspected car thief.

Union City police say they were called to a RaceTrac gas station on the 4200 block of State Route 138 at around 1:50 Sunday morning.

When they got to the scene, officers found a security guard with a gunshot wound to his leg.

The guard told officers he had seen an unknown suspect breaking into a customer's vehicle. When he confronted the suspect, he said the man began shooting while he fled.

Police say the security guard returned fire but was hit in the leg.

Medics transported the guard to a local hospital for treatment.

Officials have not released any information about a possible suspect. The shooting is still under investigation.