SANTA FE, N.M. – The Santa Fe restaurant owner accused of shooting a man with a pepper ball gun is a free man Monday. 

Charges were dropped against Steven Lemon, after prosecutors said they didn’t have enough evidence to take the case to trial.

Lemon was accused of multiple felonies after authorities say he shot a homeless man with a pepper ball gun in front of his restaurant.

A pepper ball gun is a type of alternative self-defense weapon whose makers bill it as being non-lethal.

Lemon said he was fed up with vandals burglarizing his business.