PORTAGE | An apparent botched drug deal resulted in the shooting of an 18-year-old Portage man Tuesday night and the arrest of a 21-year-old Gary man.

Portage Police Detective Sgt. Bill Mesich said police were called to the 5900 block of Sundance in the Sundance apartment complex off Willowcreek Road at 10:04 p.m. for the report of a shooting.

When police arrived, they found Devon Starkey, 18, who had been living at the address, had been shot in the upper left arm with a .45 caliber bullet. He was transported to St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart and treated and released.

According to police, Starkey and a friend, Brittany Foley, 18, of 518 Camelot, wanted to purchase marijuana. They called an acquaintance of Foley's, Bryant Young Jr., 21, of 4080 Ohio Street, Gary. Starkey and Foley offered to purchase $180-worth of marijuana from Young and offered him an extra $10 if he would deliver it to Portage.

When Young arrived at the apartment complex, Foley allegedly began talking to Young from the passenger side of the car while Starkey was "checking out" the marijuana from the driver's side.

At one point, Starkey allegedly struck Young in the left eye, splitting his eye open, said Mesich, and ran with the marijuana.Young then allegedly pulled the .45 caliber weapon and began shooting at Starkey, striking him in the arm, only inches from his chest.

Starkey dropped the marijuana and Young recovered it and left the scene.

Young later came to the Portage police station to turn himself in and give police his side of the story, said Mesich. He was arrested and transported to Porter County Jail.

Young is being charged with aggrivated battery. Other charges are pending against him.

Mesich said police are still investigating the incident and will talk to prosecutors today to determine if and what possible charges will be filed against Young, Starkey and Foley.