A 21-year-old man fought off two men and dissuaded a third during a midday mugging Tuesday.

The man was approached at 12:30 p.m., as he left a store at 1230 W. Catalpa Ave., according to a police report. The suspect demanded that he empty his pockets. A second suspect then grabbed the victim's hand and shoved him against a tree while trying to search his pockets, the report said.

According to the report, the victim pushed the two men away and began running down the street. His attackers then called to a third man who police said was acting as a lookout and told him to grab the victim.

The victim stopped in front of the lookout and asked, "Are you going to do anything?" at which point the lookout just "smirked," said the report.

The victim then returned to the store and asked a clerk to call police. The three suspects fled in an unknown direction, the report said.

Police later arrested three men who fit the descriptions provided by the victim but released them without charges.