Hempstead man arrested after shooting himself, police say

A Hempstead man who shot himself in the leg has been charged with weapons possession, Nassau County police said.

A second man who picked up the gun and walked away with it has also been charged with weapons possession, police said.

Officers from the Hempstead Village Police Department went to Elm Avenue at 4:56 p.m. Wednesday after a report of a man shot, Nassau County police said in a news release.

They found Michael Williams, 57, of Duane Street, with a gunshot wound to his left leg, police said. Williams was taken to a hospital, where he was arrested at 7 p.m., police said.

Detectives determined that the shooting had occurred in front of 208 S. Franklin St., where Williams dropped the gun, police said.

The detectives then found out that Steve A. Jackson, 64, of Greenwich Street, was at the scene when the shooting occurred, had picked up the gun and fled on foot, police said.

Jackson was tracked down by Hempstead officers and arrested at 9:58 p.m. without incident, police said.

In addition to the weapons charges for both men, Williams was charged with reckless endangerment and Jackson was charged with hindering prosecution, police said. Both men were awaiting arraignment Thursday in First District Court in Hempstead.