In a brave attempt to protect what is rightfully his, a Fernley convenience store owner was shot twice, but lived.

It happened Monday night about 9:00 p.m. at the Sierra Discount Market on Highway 95A. A masked man barged in, shot the clerk, and then left empty-handed.

While police say he was certainly brave, he could have been killed. Instead, 36-year-old Sam Singh is recovering in the hospital with two bullet wounds and a nightmare he'll never forget.

After surgery on both his shoulder and forearm, doctors tell Sam Singh he's going to be okay. but surveillance video from the robbery scene show he could have faced a tragic ending.

"(Do you think you're lucky?) Very lucky." said Singh, lying still in his hospital bed.

The armed robber tried to take cash from the register, but couldn't get it open. When he found the back door of the store locked, he panicked, shooting Singh twice, who then threw a liquor bottle at the robber as he ran out the door.

"When he shot me and left, I called 911," said Singh.

Lyon County Sheriff's deputies say Singh is lucky. and they're determined to find out who the robber was. In the small community of Fernley, the pool of criminals is only so big, and locals say crime like this is rare.

"Not very often. I worked at the Shell station for 13 years and never had one there," said Bob Verlinden, who delivers newspapers to the Sierra Discount Market.

"People are just trying to make a living. There's no reason for that," added Singh's friend, Cheryl Almond.

Singh's family says they're just happy he's okay. The 36-year-old father of two never expected the crime, which is why the baseball bat and gun inside his safe stayed put when the robber attacked. Singh says he hardly had time to react.

"I don't know why he shot me. I agreed to give him the money and everything," he said.

Singh is expected to be released from the hospital late Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, so head can head back home to his wife and two young daughters.

Police believe the robber is most likely someone who lives in the area near the crime, and could have even been a regular customer at the convenience store. They are asking for help in identifying the armed man. If you know anything about this crime, call the Lyon County Sheriff's Office at 577-5023.