An off-duty corrections officer who happened to be in the right place at the right time was able to stop a robbery in progress Thursday in East Orange.

Employees at an Exxon station say a man tried to rob the establishment while holding a gun to the head of one of the mechanics. They say an off-duty corrections officer who dropped off his car to be inspected walked in while the robbery was in progress. The workers say when the officer saw the man with the gun, he fired two shots and killed the suspect. According to investigators, the officer involved is 46-year-old Thomas Martinez, who is an East Jersey State Prison corrections officer.

Investigators say it appears Martinez followed proper procedures. They say he identified himself as an officer and told the suspect to put his weapon down. The Essex County prosecutor's office says the suspect's weapon was actually a BB gun, which looked very much like the real thing.