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A masked gunman terrorized customers in two convenience store robberies 40 miles apart, one in Maryland and one in Pennsylvania.

The image in and of itself is frightening. The masked man brandishes a military style semi-automatic assault weapon as he enters the convenience store.

And he fired warning shots.

For the store clerk who would be his victim it was terrifying.

"He said put your hands up," says Cathy Strouth, who as a frequent 7-11 customer knows the clerk well. "He didn't listen and the guy fired a shot, said 'I'm not kidding,' and so the guy he put his hands up."

The robber then got the money he was after and got away.

According to the Maryland State Police the man in the security camera pictures is carrying an unusual German sport guns GSG 522. It's a .22 caliber semi-automatic.

The man with the gun has hit twice now, July 5 at the Libertytown 7-11 and then four days later and 40 miles to the north in Washington Township, Pennsylvania.

In both cases the man fired warning shots into the floor. Police say that is highly unusual.

Customers in the picturesque country town of Libertytown call it dangerous.

"Yeah it is," Strouth says. "It's scary, like I said, I don't come down here at night no more."

"I just came here from Missouri four months ago and they said this is a good area and this is the first time I seen any problem," says David Johnson, a 7-11 customer.

The Maryland State Police are investigating.