Brooksville man charged with aggravated battery after shooting

On May 22, 2024, at approximately 9:16 a.m., the Hernando County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) Emergency Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call regarding a shooting in Brooksville. The caller said the victim was shot in the head. Police responded to the scene, but the victim, a 27-year-old man, had already been transported by his family to a nearby hospital, where he was treated for a graze wound to the top of his head.
After receiving medical treatment, the victim told officers he was visiting a friend's house when Jamerson Badger (DOB 03-19-1999) approached him. A verbal altercation ensued, during which Badger pulled a gun from his waistband. The victim said he attacked Badger and during the struggle the gun discharged. The victim was scratched on the top of the head. The two men continued to struggle until the victim managed to escape to his vehicle, while Badger fled to his residence.
A witness corroborated the victim's account, confirming that Badger was in possession of a gun earlier in the day and had made threatening statements. Deputies then contacted Badger at his residence. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Badger told deputies he approached the victim to discuss a previous incident involving a member of the victim's family. Badger claimed that during their altercation, the victim brandished a firearm, which discharged during their struggle for control of the weapon.
Based on the victim and witness statements, as well as evidence collected at the scene, Badger, a convicted felon, was arrested for aggravated battery and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was taken to the Hernando County Detention Center and is being held without bond due to violating conditions of a prior bond related to a drug arrest.