By Ray King

An 18-year-old Pine Bluff man was arrested Friday after he allegedly shot his juvenile cousin.

Braylon Bridges told police he and the cousin, who was not identified in court proceedings, were “playing with the gun and it went off.” He also said the shooting was an accident.

Reading from a probable cause affidavit from Detective Jason Boykin, Deputy Prosecutor Beth Carson said police were sent to the Emergency Room at Jefferson Regional hospital where they were met by the victim’s mother. She said she had been at her sister’s house when she heard a loud boom and her son came walking around the corner holding his chest and saying that he had been shot.

She said she found out Braylon was the one who shot her son because he had called her to apologize.

When police went to the house, Bridges told them he “knew why they were there” and he was taken to the Detective Division for questioning. Police also served a search warrant at the house and recovered one spent shell casing and five live rounds at the house.

Bridges waived his right to an attorney and said he and his cousin “were chillin’ and were pointing the gun at each other when it went off.” He said he dropped the gun on the floor and helped get his cousin into a vehicle, and when he went back in, the gun was gone. He also said another cousin had brought the gun to the house.

On Monday, Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth set a $10,000 bond for Bridges after ruling prosecutors have probable cause to charge him with first-degree battery.

The Public Defenders Office was appointed to represent Bridges, who was ordered to have no contact with the victim until the case is settled.