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MUNCIE, Ind. (Feb. 2, 2016)- A gas station clerk fought off a gunman with a freshly brewed, piping hot cup of coffee.

Just after 6 a.m. Sunday, the clerk told police he went to the counter to fill up a cup of coffee. When the clerk turned around he saw a masked man pointing a gun at him.

Surveillance cameras from inside the Marathon Gas Station show the suspect making it only a few steps into the store. He quickly brings his gun up and within seconds you can see the cup of coffee flying at him. The clerk had good aim; the cup hits the gunman directly in the face.

“It’s crazy, but good for the guy that threw the coffee in his face,” said Brandy Duncan, a Marathon customer.

The encounter doesn’t even last five seconds. There wasn’t time for any conversation between the clerk and the criminal.

“He was lucky he got the right person. For one that could’ve just been reaction he could’ve shot him or it could’ve made him made and shot him. No reason to lose your life or get hurt over something like that," Duncan said.

The clerk was finishing up his overnight shift. The Marathon Gas Station manager told FOX 59 the clerk is in his 30s and that he’s only been working at the store for a couple months.

“He’s real friendly. I didn’t think he would do something like that to tell you the truth. I figured he would just give him the money or whatever and go on, but you never know,” said Mark McFalls, a Marathon customer.

The gunman took off empty handed, but he did get a hot cup of coffee to the face and most likely a few coffee stains, all on the house.

“Get somebody like that off the streets. It’s hard out here but there’s no reason to be taking other people’s money that they work for,” said McFalls.

The gas station has several cameras. The video is now evidence as police are working to find the gunman and they’re putting a reminder out to everyone.

“I would caution anyone against taking action. If someone is robbing them the best thing do is to comply with their demands especially for money. It’s not worth being injured or possibly killed over,” said Brian Campbell, with the Muncie Police Department.

If you know anything that could help authorities track down the suspect you’re asked to call Muncie police at 765-747-4838.