Granddad shoots one of two armed home invaders in ill-fated heist — and victim's granddaughter came up with idea for the crime, cops say

The good news? A 65-year-old Florida homeowner successfully fought back against two armed home invaders Thursday morning — managing to turn the tables on the pair by using his own gun and shooting one of them before they took off from his Pensacola residence, WKRG-TV reported.

The bad news? The victim's granddaughter came up with the idea for the ill-fated heist, authorities told the station.

What are the details?

Cynthia Register and her friends were trying to come up with bail money for another friend when Register said her grandfather had some, the station said — and then they hatched a plan to rob Register's grandfather, WKRG reported.

Image source: Escambia County (Florida) Sheriff's Office

So just before 4 a.m. Tayari Crear and Jemarquz Cromwell entered the home of Register's grandfather in the 7300 block of West Jackson Street.

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons offered a bit of a play by play on what happened next.

Image source: WKRG-TV video screenshot

"Mind you Cynthia Register, granddaughter, does not go in the house. Why? Because she knows that Grampa has a gun. So she decides to stay outside," Simmons said. "But she allows Tayari Crear and Jemarquz Cromwell to enter the home. And granddaughter was right. Granddaddy did have a gun. He did use the gun because he was being burglarized. So Granddaddy shot Cromwell in the chest area, and then they fled the home."

Then what happened?

Crear and Cromwell climbed in a vehicle and drove off, but they wrecked the car a few blocks away, the sheriff's office said.

Image source: Escambia County (Florida) Sheriff's Office

Then another vehicle pulled up to the crash site and drove away with both suspects, authorities said, adding that the two suspects were dropped off at a local hospital where they were met by deputies. Natalie Gagne was the driver who picked up Crear and Cromwell after they wrecked their vehicle, the sheriff's office said.

Image source: Escambia County (Florida) Sheriff's Office

It was discovered that Register, Gagne, Crear, Cromwell — as well as Clint Hochhalter and Dominique Gonzalez — came up with the plan to rob Register's grandfather after Register pitched the idea to the group, authorities said.

Image source: Escambia County (Florida) Sheriff's Office

Register and Hochhalter have been arrested and charged with armed home invasion robbery (principle), the sheriff's office said, while Gagne, Crear, Gonzalez, and Cromwell were arrested and charged with armed home invasion robbery.