The owner of an Alabama jewelry store who shot a woman trying to rob his business said he hates it had to happen, but he’d do it all again.

“I did what I had to do to protect my store and my employees,’’ said Jeff Dennis, owner of Jeff Dennis Jewelers in Gardendale. “I had no idea what she was capable of.”

The ordeal began just before 5 p.m. Wednesday at the store on Fieldstown Road.

Dennis said the woman walked in through the front door, wearing a face covering that looked like a COVID mask and a coat, and carrying a purse.

“I’m always a little bit alert,’’ he said. “Even though we’re past COVID, there’s still a lot of people wearing masks.”

The first thing she did was bend down and put a block in the door so it would stay open.

“I knew then what was happening,’’ Dennis said, “so I drew my weapon.”

The robber said, “Happy holidays. I don’t want to hurt y’all, but I am.”

She then immediately started spraying bear spray at the employees. Bear spray is a powerful aerosol spray meant to be used to ward off grizzlies and black bears.

“I stepped around the corner and fired and hit her pretty good,’’ Dennis said. “I hit her in the shoulder. It was a significant injury.”

“I didn’t have any choice once she started spraying the bear spray because I didn’t know what was going to come next,’’ he said.

“I was in fight or flight mode, and I was trying to get the store secured because I didn’t know if she had other people with her,’’ he said.

The woman screamed, “Stop, stop. I don’t want to die. Please stop.”

The woman dropped her purse and fled.

“In her purse there were other things that she was going to use as part of the robbery,’’ he said. “She did have weapons.”

Dennis hit the alarm button and secured the store.

“I had to make sure the perimeter was safe,’’ he said. “We were absolutely sick because we were gasping and couldn’t breathe, and I had to get everybody outside.”

“But we had to wait on the police to get here,’’ Dennis said. “They were here in two minutes, but it seemed liked two hours.”

A massive search was immediately launched, with Jefferson County’s Star 1 helicopter providing air support, and drones and tracking dogs on the ground.

Agencies assisting Gardendale police included the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Birmingham police, Kimberly police and Fultondale police.

Gardendale police Chief Scott Banks said the woman was taken into custody within a couple of hours at a Birmingham apartment complex. She was then taken to UAB Hospital where she is undergoing treatment for her injuries.

It wasn’t immediately clear how police found the suspect in Birmingham.

Warrants against her have not yet been announced.

Jeff Dennis Jewelers remains closed today for cleaning but will reopen on Friday.

“If you’ve ever been around bear spray but it’s so toxic,’’ Dennis said. “Within seconds, we were burning, couldn’t hardly see, coughing. It’s still in here today and I had a professional cleanup crew come last night.”

“It’s still in our throats and we’re having to wipe down everything with soap and water and throw away a lot of stuff,’’ he said. “It’s pretty brutal.”

The employee on the sales floor took the brunt of the chemical spray. Insurance will handle any needed medical treatment and counseling.

“Emotionally, I don’t know how long it will take for us to recover,’’ Dennis said.

Dennis said this is the first actual robbery at the store.

“Some poor choices by somebody made me do something I hoped I’d never have to do,’’ he said.

“I hate it,’’ Dennis said. “I lost a lot of sleep last night and I had the shakes for several hours.”

“It’s been an emotional thing,’’ he said. “I’m glad she didn’t die. I hope she can turn her life around.”

“I hope I’m never faced with that again,’’ he said, “but I have no doubt I would do the same thing again if I was faced with it a hundred times.”