SANTA FE, NM – A Santa Fe man faces charges Friday after admitting to shooting another man with a pepper spray gun.

Santa Fe police responded to the area around north Guadalupe and Johnson streets, a few blocks west of the square.

Officers found a man with cuts on his face. Emergency responders took him to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

As investigators later found out, the victim had been shot with an airsoft gun.

Police arrested Steven Lemon after he allegedly admitted to shooting the victim with a pepper spray gun. He is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and tampering with evidence.

According to court documents, Lemon is accused of regularly shooting pepper spray at homeless people who rummaged through his trash.

PepperBall is a gun manufacturer that touts itself as a non-lethal option and is not technically considered a firearm by authorities.

PepperBall states that no background check or waiting period is required and that balls are fired using pepper powder.

KOB 4 has asked the public prosecutor’s office for information as to why they are bringing charges in connection with a deadly weapon. We are awaiting a response.