A shooting incident in the early morning hours on Thursday on Dever Street left one man hospitalized after another wounded him in the leg in self-defense, according to a release from the Polk County Police Department.

The Criminal Investigation Division reported in their release this morning that officers responded to the 600 block of Bluff Street at 12:37 a.m. in Rockmart after a report came in of a victim suffering from a gunshot wound. After questioning the victim about what happened, police learned the shooting occurred in another location and Detectives went to the the 800 block of Dever Street to determine what happened.

They learned that the shooting victim, a 31-year-old male, was driving down Dever Street when he approached another male of the same age who was walking.

“Words were exchanged between the two subjects, and shots were fired by the male that was walking,” the release stated. “The rounds struck the vehicle of the male who was driving, and struck the driver in the leg.”

The driver was taken to Floyd Medical Center for treatment.

Investigators reported that the man who fired the shots isn’t being charged since they ruled the incident as a “self-defense” shooting.

“We do not believe that this incident is related to the shooting on Morgan Valley Road (Case Number #2106470) or Spratling Street (Case Number #2106856),” the release stated.

Police are continuing to investigate the incident and the case remains open. Anyone with information about any of the recent shooting incidents are asked to immediately contact the Polk County Police at 770-748-7331.

The release also provided thanks to the Rockmart Police Department for their assistance during the incident and in the investigation that has followed.