It started as any other day for one Estill County junkyard owner, but things went sour when he tried to help two men.

"I was putting up a pretty good fight to be 78," Bobby Ray Osborne said.

Kentucky State Police say the two men jumped Osborne Tuesday morning, and they ran off with some of his money. Osborne says they didn't get away without fearing for their lives, as he was armed with a handgun.

"It was the same guys here a week ago," Osborne, who had a knot on his face, said.

He said the two men came to his property asking about a vehicle for sale on his lot, and they returned Tuesday.

"They weren't interested in getting no car to start with."

When conversations about the sale stalled they said they had a flat tire and asked for a jack to help replace it. That's when Osborne says he was attacked.

"The big boy goes in the back to get the floor jack. About that time the tall, skinny guy gets me from behind, jerks me down and starts beating me," Osborne recalls, "Then he yells to the big boy, 'Get his money! Get his money!' The big boy is the one that reached his hand in and got the money. Soon as they got the money they took off."

Osborne says a friend who was inside at first came out and told them to give the money back or she would call the police. The men gave $200 out of $500 back, but Osborne was grabbing his gun.

'[One of the robbers] said 'Don't shoot me,' and I said 'I ought to kill you.'

Osborne did fire a shot, but it did not strike either man. One of the suspects left behind his pocketbook, and investigators were able to find a driver license. Troopers are still searching for the two suspects.

Osborne said he believes their upbringing may be a reason as to why they tried to target him.

"When i was their age I had to work on a farm to make money," Osborne said, "I didn't go out stealing no money."