MERIDIAN, Miss. (AP) — An elected official in Mississippi says he chased a man who broke into his truck because he just wanted to talk to the would-be burglar.

Meridian City Council member Tyrone Johnson said he was up late doing homework one night this week when his wife saw someone breaking into the truck.

Johnson says when he opened the door of his home, the man ran. A shoeless Johnson ran after him. He says he wanted to talk to the man about working rather than stealing.

The councilman says the man threw his loaded pistol aside, but then ran away again when Johnson’s wife got closer.

Meridian police said Friday that Jarvis Butler had been arrested on a burglary charge. It was not immediately clear whether he has a lawyer.