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 reported that the victim had been shot in the head. Deputies responded to the scene, but the 27-year-old male victim 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 attention, the victim told deputies that he had been visiting a friend’s house when Jamerson Badger (DOB 03-19-1999) approached him. A verbal altercation ensued, during which Badger drew a firearm from his waistband. The victim reported tackling Badger, and during the struggle, the gun discharged. The victim was grazed on the top of his head. The two men continued to wrestle until the victim managed to escape to his vehicle, while Badger fled into his residence.
A witness corroborated the victim’s account, confirming that Badger had been in possession of a gun earlier in the day and had made threatening statements. Deputies subsequently contacted Badger at his residence. After being informed of his Miranda rights, Badger told Deputies that he had approached the victim to discuss a prior incident involving a family member of the victim. Badger claimed that during their altercation, the victim had brandished a firearm, which discharged during their struggle for control of the weapon.
Based on statements by the victim and witness, as well as evidence collected at the scene, Badger, a convicted felon, was arrested on charges of 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 previous bond related to a narcotics arrest.