A 46-year-old Athens man was shot in the stomach Tuesday night by the boyfriend of his estranged wife, said Athens Police Capt. Marty Bruce.

Athens Police Department received a call at 7:25 p.m. when Jimmy Ray Wallace, 46, went to the emergency room at Athens-Limestone Hospital with the gunshot wound. He was treated and later released.

Witnesses to the shooting told Lt. Floyd Johnson that Wallace was at the residence of his estranged wife and her boyfriend on South Houston Street trying to recover a vehicle when the shooting occurred.

Bruce said investigators were told that Wallace was arguing with his wife in the driveway.

“The boyfriend told Wallace he needed to get off of his property,” Bruce said police were told. “Wallace told the boyfriend he was going to kill him. The boyfriend felt his life was threatened and shot Wallace one time in the stomach with a .22 caliber handgun.”

No charges have been filed in the shooting. However, Bruce said evidence in the case will be presented to a grand jury for possible indictments.

The boyfriend’s identity is not being released because he has not been charged, Bruce said.

Investigators said Wallace did not have a weapon in his possession at the time of the shooting.

— Sonny Turner