Pizza worker in Florida fatally shoots a clown-masked attacker

A pizza store worker in Florida fatally shot a man in a scary clown mask who was beating him with a wooden pole.

CCTV footage showed the masked man attacking the Little Caesars worker as he closed up the restaurant on Saturday.

Police said Heriberto Feliciano was likely justified in his actions as he was ambushed and appeared to be defending himself.

Feliciano told officers the suspect had tried to stab him with scissors.

He said he pulled out his gun, for which he has a concealed weapons permit, and fired multiple times at close range.

The pizza worker then dialled 911 to try and save his assailant, ABC News reported.

"He's not breathing," Feliciano told authorities. "I don't want to get close to him; he tried to stab me with a pair of scissors."

He added: "He hit me in the face with a big piece of wood."

Holly Hill Police Chief Steve Aldrich told ABC News that investigators are probing the matter "as a robbery".

The suspect died in hospital, and his identity was not immediately confirmed.

Feliciano was hospitalised for face and shoulder injuries, police said.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press.