A 24-year-old man was shot several times in an exchange of gunfire with a Panama Park homeowner Wednesday morning during what police described as a home invasion robbery.

Just after 9 a.m., police responding to a burglar alarm in the 7100 block of Elwood Avenue found the door kicked in and witnesses describing gunfire both inside and outside the home.

Investigators said Jonathan Comas and Donovan Thomas, 21, broke into the house, waking up Johnny Johnson.

Johnson said he grabbed his gun and got to the living room in time to see two men turning around to leave.

"I was the first person to shoot, I guarantee it, because they were in my house," Johnson said. "I look up, see the guy and I shoot twice, then I start hearing shots."

Johnson said he fired five or six shots, then dove for cover when he heard gunfire coming from outside.

Police said Comas, who was shot several times, was taken to Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center by Thomas and Sandra Flood, 27, who officers said was driving a vehicle used in the incident. Late Wednesday, Comas was reported to be in critical condition.

Johnson's mother got a call from her son saying someone was in the house.

"He said, 'Mom, somebody broke into the house. I think they're still in here,'" Joann Christopher said. "As he's talking to me, I'm hearing gunshots."

Johnson told Channel 4's Dan Leveton that he thinks the men turned around and started to leave because there wasn't much in the house. Police think they might have been scared off by the alarm.

"I'm lucky to be alive," Johnson said. "Somebody could have died, and I could have been me."

Police said Thomas and Flood were be arrested and charged with home-invasion robbery. They were ordered held without bond pending an arraignment on Aug. 2.

Officers said Comas was absentee booked on the same charges as he remains hospitalized.