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'I feel like I had the angel protecting me' | Driver recounts attempted Bellaire carjacking caught on camera

One of the drivers the suspect threatened at gunpoint also spoke about the experience Thursday for the first time, telling KHOU 11 he feels “blessed."

BELLAIRE, Texas — Police released new surveillance images late Thursday of a man who tried to carjack two luxury cars in Bellaire but couldn’t figure out how to operate them.

Detectives also released new surveillance images of the silver Mercedes coupe they believe was the gunman’s getaway car. They’re not sure who was driving.

One of the drivers he threatened at gunpoint also spoke about the experience Thursday for the first time, telling KHOU 11 he feels “blessed."

“There’s some surrealness, like one of those dreams you may have when you’re running from a gun,” said the man, who asked not to be identified for safety reasons.

RELATED: Police search for suspect accused of 2 attempted carjackings in Bellaire

Instead, that man came face to face with a gun in real life at the Chevron at Bellaire Boulevard and Rice Avenue around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday.

A guy he says looked about 18 years old walked up from behind and pointed a gun at his head, demanding his keys and money.

“He kind of seemed scared, so maybe he was on drugs,” the victim said. “It’s kind of weird: you always think your first reaction is, ‘I’m going to go take the guy down.' I just…had this calm about me, acted calmly, gave him my keys, and slowly took off.”

The carjacker couldn’t figure out how to use the Audi’s push-start ignition. He gave up and ran to the silver Mercedes coupe waiting in a nearby Randall’s parking lot.

“I saw him carjacking someone else, and I wanted to see where he was going, so I followed him,” recalled one woman at the scene. “He turned and fired three rounds at me.”

That woman was not harmed.

Three minutes later, the gunman tried to steal another car from a man waiting on his nephew at the City of Bellaire’s recreation center on 5th Street.

“I see a guy approaching me, knocking on my window with a gun on my face,” said Oscar Aguilar.

Aguilar handed over his BMW keys and wallet, then ran inside the rec center.

“(The carjacker) was pressing on the gas pedal, but he didn’t know how to do the shift on the car,” Aguilar said. “Eventually he took off without the car.”

Both victims felt gratitude no one was hurt.

“I prefer him take to my car than my life,” Aguilar said.

The Audi driver also had a message for the man on the run.

“Whatever’s bugging you, get some peace in your life,” he said. “Go try to make something of yourself rather than taking stuff from other people.”

Police recommend anyone finding themselves in a similar situation to the two victims do what they did: stay calm, cooperate, and walk away.

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