Fairfield smoke-shop clerk shoots armed robber

A smoke shop clerk shot a masked robber in Fairfield on Sunday, police said. A smoke shop clerk shot a masked robber in Fairfield on Sunday, police said. Photo: Getty Images / / Photo: Getty Images / / Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Fairfield smoke-shop clerk shoots armed robber 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A masked robber with a bogus gun messed with the wrong Fairfield smoke-shop clerk on Sunday — and now he’s in critical condition with a bullet hole in his chest, officials said.

The botched holdup occurred around 12:40 p.m. at the tobacco and vape shop tucked into a strip mall at Pacific Avenue and North Texas Street, police said.

The robber — who was not immediately identified — came into the store wearing a mask and then whipped a gun out of his waistband. The gun turned out to be a realistic-looking BB gun, police said.

The clerk, though, figured the weapon was the real deal, so he pulled his real gun and shot the robber in the chest, police said.

The suspect was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Detectives interviewed the clerk and witnesses inside the store and determined the man shot the robber in self-defense. The clerk legally possessed his firearm, officials said.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky