A Wildwood man was arrested for negligence after accidentally shooting his friend in the chest and rushing him to the emergency room.
Officers responded to the Trailwinds ER on County Road 466A in Wildwood, regarding a patient who suffered a gunshot wound to the chest on Saturday evening, according to an arrest report from the Wildwood Police Department. The victim’s friend, 20-year-old Nigel Alexander Harris, said he accidentally shot the victim while showing him his handgun.
Harris advised that he did not mean to shoot his friend, and he thought the firearm was unloaded. He also admitted to pointing the firearm at him, the report said.
The shooting victim was transferred to Ocala Regional Medical Center. Law enforcement spoke with him there. He said he was in the kitchen with his friends when Harris started playing around with his firearm. He began to back away in fear of the firearm, the report said.
Harris pointed the gun at his friend and shot him, the report said. He did not believe being shot was intentional, but he added, “Who points a gun at someone?”
Contact was later made with Harris at the Wildwood Police Department. After being read his rights, he advised that he had his friends over at his apartment to watch a UFC fight. He gave a tour of his new apartment to the victim and made his way to the kitchen, the report said.
Harris pulled the firearm out and began showing it to the victim. This was when it went off, striking the victim in the chest. He did not know the firearm was loaded, as he kept it unloaded in the kitchen island, the report said.
Harris stated they were about 8 to 10 feet apart when the firearm went off. After it happened, his friends took the victim downstairs to get him help. He rushed downstairs to meet the victim and his other friends who helped in getting the victim out of the apartment. He drove the victim to the Trailwinds ER and told personnel that he accidentally shot his friend, the report said.
Harris was subsequently arrested on charge of culpable negligence inflict harm. He was transported to the Sumter County Detention Center and released after posting $500 bond.