JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville man is recovering after he survived a ruthless attack by two thieves while he was trying to open his restaurant for business Wednesday.
Nearly 48 hours after the 79-year-old man was robbed, beaten, and shot, he's determined not to let the bad guys win.
Bob Ayers had just arrived to his Westside cafe Wednesday morning when that attack happened. Police said the two men approached him as he was unlocking the front doors and forced him inside. From there, they said one of the men shot Ayers and hit him over the head, while the other man took money out of Ayers' pocket.
Ayers may have been the victim of an attack, but the smile on his face is his subtle way of showing the world he's not about to let that define him or the business he's owned for 14 years.
"You really don't have time to be scared. You're looking for ways to maneuver yourself out of the situation. But with two of them it was a little difficult," he said.
Ayers said the men were both wearing ski masks. The man forced him inside and behind the counter. Ayers then grabbed a trash can and hit one of them in the face. Seconds later one of the men hit Ayers twice on the head with the gun and then shot him in the hip.
"I didn't know that it had gone all the way through until we were at the hospital," Ayers said. "I felt real lucky when they told me that it didn't touch anything."
The two men took about $200 from one of Ayers' front pockets. Ayers said he's thankful that's all the men got away with. His hope now is that one of them will be eager to talk about it.
"They were the kind of people that like to brag," Ayers said. "They just struck me as being the kind of people who like to brag about how tough they are and how clever they are."
A sign on Ayers' front door (pictured) said, "Closed due to robbery and gun shot" on Wednesday. He said he's thankful it will be coming down first thing Friday.
"All my customers, come on back and we'll have a party," Ayers said.