24-year-old arrested after police say he fired pistol into the air in Buckhead

ATLANTA - A man was arrested after firing several shots into the air near a busy Buckhead intersection early Wednesday morning, Atlanta police say.

Joel Blasco, 24, was arrested and charged with reckless conduct.

Around 1:50 a.m., police say officers responded to the area of Andrews Drive NW and Peachtree Road NE after receiving 911 calls of shots being fired in the area.

Body camera video released by police shows officers arriving at the scene and meeting a witness who pointed out the suspect.

"That idiot, he just started firing," the man could be heard telling the officer.

Officers located Blasco and detained him. The video shows him with his hands up as officers approach.

Officer: "You got anything on you?"

Blasco: "Yeah, I got my pistol."

That pistol was located and turned out to be a 9mm Luger, police say.

"I’m just trying to get home," Blasco can be heard telling the officers, adding he lives down the street in the Peachtree Hills neighborhood.

The officers then could be seen patting down Blasco, looking for anything else on him.

Officer: "You got any more weapons on you?"

Blasco: "No, that’s it."

Eventually, officers put him into handcuffs.

Blasco: "It’s a little tight, you know, can you loosen it up for me?"

Officer: "Give us a second. You got any ID on you?"

Blasco directs officers to his wallet and tells them he also has a concealed carry permit on him.

"I’m completely licensed," Blasco added.

Police say several shell casings were located and taken into evidence.

Blasco was booked into the Fulton County Jail.

The Atlanta Police Department warns gun owners of the dangers of firing into the air, or celebratory gunfire, especially as the holidays approach. They say, "What goes up, must come down and usually with deadly results."