EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — East Hartford police are investigating an attempted robbery incident where a store clerk shot and killed one of two suspects, according to police.

The incident began on Thursday night around 10:30 p.m. when two suspects in black ski masks entered the Humble & Paid Co. on Main Street. Police stated that the two suspects had intended to rob the store.

A brief struggle took place when the suspects entered the store, and one pulled out a firearm. During the struggle, the store clerk was shot in the back by this suspect.

The store clerk was able to return fire with one of his two legally registered firearms, according to police. The clerk fired several rounds and struck one of the suspects multiple times.

Officers said they tried to provide life-saving measures for the suspect who was shot until the East Hartford Fire Department arrived on the scene. The suspect was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Police identified the suspect that was killed as 26-year-old Jashar Haslam of Hartford.

“As of right now, it seems to be an isolated incident,” said Officer Marc Caruso, East Hartford Police Department.

The clerk was also treated for the gunshot wound to his lower back, and he was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Police are still searching for the second suspect in this incident, who they believe ran out of the building during the initial struggle.

“They will be talking to witnesses, they’ll be going through a significant amount of camera footage, both our town’s cameras, the store’s cameras, neighboring businesses’ cameras,” Caruso said. “There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

East Hartford police didn’t provide any additional information about the second suspect, but anyone with information is being asked to call them.

Follow News 8 for updates on this developing story.