lectured him on turning his life around, then shook his hand and let him go. i said, please shake hand, don t come back again. promise. he said yes. reporter: the manager says he let him walk because a getaway car was circling outside, and he feared more armed men may come in shooting. it could have very easily been a tragedy. reporter: fairfield police say it s one of the strangest cases they ve seen. while it looks like a victory for the good guys, they say taking on an armed suspect should be a last resort. robberies are specifically for the purpose of trying to get money. if that s what their demand is, give it to them and stay safe. reporter: the wing stop manager says on hindsight maybe he should have complied. he s just glad he s still here to retell the story. 100% lucky. more than 100%. i was so lucky he didn t shoot me. reporter: the restaurant manager did not want to show his face, but he says he is pretty certain that the robber will not return her