Shooting outside Mall of Georgia leaves 1 injured; man arrested

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Jalyn Watkins booking photo (Credit: Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office)

BUFORD, Ga. - An innocent bystander was wounded outside a Buford business Sunday when an intoxicated man fired a handgun into the ground following his removal from the venue, authorities said. 

What we know:

Gwinnett County Police arrested 22-year-old Jalyn Watkins hours after the shooting outside the Tavern at Mall of Georgia off of Georgia Boulevard. 

Investigators said Watkins had been removed from the business and appeared intoxicated when he retrieved a handgun from a vehicle. He fired one round into the ground, causing shrapnel to strike a 25-year-old man in the back.

The victim had no involvement in the incident and ran away after feeling something hit his back. His injuries were non-life-threatening.

Officers used Flock cameras to quickly identify the suspect's vehicle and track it to an apartment complex on Buford Drive. Detectives located Watkins, took him into custody within hours and recovered the firearm believed to have been used in the shooting. 

Watkins was taken to the Gwinnett County Jail. He faces charges of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of certain crimes, discharge of a firearm on the property of another and unauthorized discharge of a firearm within 50 yards of a public highway. 

What we don't know:

Officials have not released additional details regarding what led to Watkins being removed from the establishment prior to the gunfire.