A west Athens shop owner on Wednesday fired a gun after he chased and confronted a pair of shoplifters, Athens-Clarke County police said.
Though the gun was fired into the ground near where the alleged thieves were confronted, police said they were unable to determine if the gun was fired intentionally.
Joe Jerry Villalpando, 32, who police said is the owner of a cellphone shop on Hawthorne Avenue, was arrested and charged with reckless conduct.