Man shot by his own gun after chase near McDonald’s, police say

A foot chase that started at an Atlanta McDonald’s ended with a man being shot by his own gun Saturday, police said.

Saleem Wilson, 25, was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he was stable. He and Jocquel Culpepper, 23, were arrested, Atlanta police spokesman John Chafee said in a statement.

The chase began after officers were called to the restaurant on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard in southwest Atlanta after the two men reportedly had been seen using drugs about 5 p.m., Chafee said.

They approached Culpepper and Wilson, and found handguns on both of them, police said.

Wilson allegedly ran, and an officer followed him.

“A struggle ensued” between them, and the gun Wilson was carrying discharged, striking himself, Chafee said.

The GBI said in a statement that Wilson was hit in the neck.

The men were taken into custody and the guns were recovered; one was found to be stolen, Chafee said.

Both were charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a controlled substance, police said. Wilson was also charged with obstructing officers and theft by receiving a stolen gun.

One of the responding officers suffered an injury to his hand. They were identified as Ian Mayfield and Virginia Pena Barrientos.

The GBI was called to look into the incident as an officer-involved shooting because the specifics of the case remain under investigation, agency spokeswoman Nelly Miles said. It was the 91st officer-involved shooting the GBI was called to investigate this year.

OVER THE LINE: An investigation into police shootings in Georgia