VALDOSTA — One man was killed and three people arrested following a drug transaction gone horribly wrong Wednesday, police said.

Around 2:09 p.m., police received several calls about people shot in different parts of the city, a Valdosta Police Department statement said Thursday.

Officers found Ryeshon Young, 21, of Valdosta in a car in the 200 block of South Troup Street with a gunshot wound to the leg, the statement said. Police gave him first aid until EMTs arrived and took him to South Georgia Medical Center.

Acting on another call, police found Malcom Cooper, 34, of Valdosta, and a 22-year-old Valdosta man in a car heading for SGMC; they followed the car to the hospital and found Cooper with a gunshot wound to the chest, police said.

A caller from the 1500 block of Willie Houseal Drive told E911 that Elijah Davis, 26, of Valdosta, was lying in a parking lot with gunshot wounds, according to the statement. Davis was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives determined that all of the men were taking part in a narcotics transaction on Willie Houseal Drive when guns came out and shots were fired, the police department said.

Cooper and Young were treated and released from the hospital.

Cooper was charged with felony murder, felony aggravated assault, felony possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, felony criminal attempt to purchase marijuana, misdemeanor giving false name and date of birth, felony fugitive from justice and multiple arrests warrants from Florida, including one from Broward County for murder, the police statement said. Cooper told officers he had been “on the run” for three years, the statement said.

Young was charged with felony murder, felony aggravated assault and felony possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

The 22-year-old who accompanied Cooper to the hospital was charged with use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug transaction, according to police.

“This was an isolated incident, and we have several parties in custody. Our condolences go out to the victim’s family, but we are extremely lucky that this reckless conduct with firearms near a park and near a school did not result in innocent victims being injured,” said Police Chief Leslie Manahan.

Those with information about this case should contact the Valdosta Police Department Bureau of Investigative Services at 229-293-3145, the crime tip line at 229-293-3091, or file a tip online at www.valdostacity.com/police-department.