Police say an 18-year-old man who allegedly tried to rob a teenage girl with pepper spray accidentally turned the bottle around and sprayed himself.

Nathaniel Atkinson allegedly tried to rob a 17-year-old girl near 13th and O streets around 10:05 p.m. Wednesday, said Lincoln Police Capt. Dennis Duckworth.

Some passersby chased Atkinson down, cornered him and held him until officers arrived, Duckworth said.

The girl was taken to a hospital as a precaution because she may have been sprayed a bit, Duckworth said.

Police are investigating whether Atkinson was involved in a recent robbery and attempted robbery involving pepper spray, Duckworth said.

On Sunday, a 37-year-old woman was entering her apartment building in the 2600 block of South 70th Street around 10:30 p.m. when two teenage boys approached and asked where Amigos was.

She told them, and they asked her if they could use her cell phone. One of the teens then sprayed her in the face with a liquid.

The woman managed to get inside the building, followed by the boy who sprayed her, but a man, possibly a tenant, came out and seemed to scare the attackers away.

About two hours later, a 19-year-old woman was approached by three teenage boys near 29th and Starr streets. One sprayed her in the face, and another threw her to the ground and took her purse, for a loss of about $129.

Police arrested a 14-year-old boy in connection with the robbery.