Last Updated Jan 22nd, 2020 at 5:29 pm

Four criminals recently got the surprise of their lives when they approached a pizza delivery driver with a toy gun and attempted to rob him, only to find themselves being shot at by the driver's very real pistol.

The altercation occurred in Charlotte, North Carolina, early Tuesday morning, when four individuals approached a driver delivering a pizza to an apartment complex. The driver said they pointed what looked like a rifle at him. He was able to draw his own handgun and fire at them, after which they fled.

Three of the four would-be thieves ended up in the hospital with gunshot wounds. A fourth was later apprehended. Two of the criminals were 15- and 16-years-old.

Authorities later said the "weapon" the criminals brandished was actually a painted toy gun that resembled an AR-style rifle. It is not yet known if the driver will face any charges.