Police say a Sioux Falls man fired a gun into the air to scare away people who were beating him up early Sunday morning.

The 28-year-old man told police he was standing near the corner of 12th Street and Minnesota Avenue around 1 a.m. when five men began beating him, police spokesman Sam Clemens said.

In an effort to get away, the man allegedly pulled out a gun and fired a shot into the air, causing the attackers to scatter, Clemens said.

The victim was not injured and claimed he acted in self-defense, Clemens said. So far, no one has been arrested.

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