SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A shooting at a Sacramento cell phone store left an attempted robbery suspect dead, say deputies.

Just after 3 p.m. Sunday witnesses reported hearing several shots coming from the Metro PCS cell phone store on Folsom Boulevard.

A robber came into the store, pulled out a gun, and forced one of the two employees to the back of the room, according to Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Jason Ramos. But the suspect had no idea one of the employees was armed himself.

“They felt they were being robbed, and one of them fired at the suspect in defense of the business and of themselves,” said Ramos.

A witness told CBS13 that this store has been robbed before.

“I knew the owners had pepper spray before, and they’ve used that before. But, never knew they had a firearm,” Rosemont resident Lance McCraedy said.

The store was last robbed in October, and that time the owner was forced to empty the safe.

The district attorney’s office will review the case to see whether or not the employee, who’s also the owner of the store, will face any charges.

Both men were interviewed and tested for gun powder residue, which is standard procedure.