MANATEE -- A gunman robbed a Bradenton game room early Friday, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

About 1:44 a.m., an employee was counting money in the back office of Big John's Game Room, 5108 15th St. E., when a man armed with a gun entered and demanded money, according to a news release.

The employee placed an undetermined amount of cash into a bag, and then the suspect took the bag, fled out the front door and got into the rear passenger's side of a grey or silver Chevrolet Blazer.

The vehicle was followed by a witness who was able to record the tag number, the sheriff's office said.

Deputies located the vehicle about 15 minutes after the robbery, but it was empty, according to the report.