(KRON) — A Daly City store owner is facing attempted murder charges filed by prosecutors who say he shot a robber in the neck while the robber was trying to make a getaway from the store.

Rocky David Eid, 51, of Daly City, appeared in a San Mateo County courtroom on Wednesday for the first day of his preliminary hearing. Eid is the owner of Sun Valley Dairy Market on Schwerin Street.

The incident happened on June 20 at 12:30 p.m. while Eid was working behind the market’s front counter. “Two young men walked in with fanny packs and ski masks,” the District Attorney’s Office wrote. One of the robbers told Eid, don’t move or “I’ll smoke you.”

A robber ripped a Rolex watch from Eid’s wrist before the duo ran out of the store. The store owner then grabbed a semi-automatic handgun from under the counter, walked out of the store, and fired eight shots at the “two fleeing robbers,” the DA’s Office wrote.

One of the robbers, a 19-year-old San Francisco man, was struck by bullets in the neck and shoulder while he was 100 feet away from Eid, according to prosecutors. The two robbers continued fleeing, jumped into a car driven by an accomplice, and drove off, prosecutors said.

The injured teenager showed up at San Francisco General Hospital where he was treated for gunshot wounds. The DA’s Office wrote that Eid later told police, “He did not see any weapons with the robbers but was worried they might return, and wanted to scare them away.”

The entire robbery and shooting was recorded by surveillance video cameras. During their investigation, police were unable to identify the uninjured robber, nor the getaway driver.

Eid is a convicted felon who cannot lawfully possess a firearm, according to the DA’s Office.

Prosecutors charged Eid with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a firearm, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. If convicted, Eid could face a life prison sentence.

A Change.org petition launched by a group dubbed “Team Rocky,” has racked up more than 3,000 signatures. The petition states, “Self defense is not a crime,” and urges the district attorney to drop all charges.

The petition continues, “A innocent hard working store owner that was robbed and threatened is now facing (two) attempted murder charges and other serious charges for protecting his life and property. What kind of message is that sending to the criminals. That’s why there is so many robberies, violence, and killing going on in this world today because criminals have more rights than the victims.”

Once the preliminary hearing concludes, judge Kevin Dunleavy will decide whether prosecutors have enough evidence to put Eid on trial for attempted murder. Eid has remained out of custody in lieu of $750,000 bail. The court ordered him against possessing any deadly weapons, including firearms.

The Daly City market shooting was one of several violent clashes across the Bay Area between shoplifters, robbers, security guards, store clerks, and store owners.

The high profile death of Banko Brown inside a San Francisco Walgreens store on April 27 sparked an outcry after the San Francisco District Attorney declined to file any charges against Brown’s killer. The DA’s office determined that the store’s security guard feared for his life and shot the unarmed shoplifter in self defense.

Walgreens surveillance video showed Brown, 24, walking towards the store’s exit door carrying a bag full of items. The guard blocked Brown’s escape path, restrained him in a choke hold, and pinned him on the ground facedown. The guard shot the shoplifter when Brown made a second escape attempt.