Leggett Man Arrested After Allegedly Shooting Brother Multiple Times With BB Gun

A 25-year-old Leggett man was arrested Monday evening after deputies say he shot his younger brother multiple times with a CO2-powered BB handgun during a family dispute near Leggett.

According to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched at approximately 7 p.m. on June 29 to a residence in the 68000 block of North Highway 101 for a report that a person had been shot numerous times with a BB gun.

Deputies, assisted by officers from the California Highway Patrol, contacted those involved and began investigating.

Authorities said an 18-year-old Leggett man identified his brother, Brodie Cardoza, 25, as the person who shot him during the dispute.

Investigators interviewed the involved parties, collected physical evidence, and recovered a black CO2-powered BB handgun that deputies say was used in the assault.

The victim was found to have three red, swollen abrasions on his abdomen that deputies said were consistent with his account of the incident and the physical evidence collected. Although it did not appear the BB projectiles had penetrated his skin, the victim was treated at the scene before agreeing to be transported to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.

Following the investigation, deputies arrested Cardoza on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm under California Penal Code section 245(a)(1).

Cardoza was booked into the Mendocino County Jail, where he is being held in lieu of $30,000 bail.

The allegations described in this release are based on information provided by law enforcement. Criminal charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.