Fowler man accused of fatally shooting 18-year-old inside home
HOPE, Ind. (WISH) — An 18-year-old from Fowler has been accused of fatally shooting another 18-year-old at a house in Hope on Saturday, according to court documents.
Joseph Kidwell, 18, is charged with reckless homicide in the death of Jesse Bragg, 18.
Just before 10 p.m. Saturday, officers with the Hope Police Department were sent to the 300 block of Elm Street on reports of a person shot. That’s on the southeast side of Hope, one mile north of Hauser High School.
Upon arrival, officers found Bragg with a gunshot wound to his chest.
According to court docs, there was “6-7 other people at the residence at the time of the shooting and that there were open alcoholic beverages and a green leafy substance with an odor commonly associated with marijuana in plain view.”
Officers began investigating and spoke to people at the house at the time of the shooting.
“Individuals at the scene that night who were in the room at the time of the shooting have been interviewed and described Joseph Kidwell as having grabbed the pistol, racking the slide, pointing the pistol at Jessie Bragg who was seated on the couch across from him, and pulling the trigger on time causing the pistol to discharge,” court papers say.
Kidwell was arrested and interviewed by police. He told officers he fired one shot at Bragg’s chest but thought he had an airsoft pistol in his hand.
