Police are searching for robbers who exchanged gunfire with a store employee Tuesday night in the Portage Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side.

The gunfire erupted between the suspects and the worker about 9:20 p.m. in the store in the 4200 block of North Milwaukee, according to Chicago Police. The robbers made off with cash and merchandise.

"At first I thought it was a joke," Sarkon Khoshava, store owner and victim told NBC 5.

The robbers told Khoshava to keep his hands up and told him not to move—but as they were leaving with the cash he reached for his own gun. No injuries were reported, police said.

"He left me no choice, what would you do?" Khoshava said of his predicament. "They don't care if they kill you for $2, or $5, or $10, you know what I mean?"

Khoshava said he exchanged gunfire with the robbers and that he hit their getaway vehicle's rear window.

A description of the robbers was not available Wednesday morning and no one was in custody as Area North detectives investigated.