Teen sentenced for shooting brother

Friday, April 11, 2003 | 9:47 a.m.

A teen was sentenced to prison in District Court Thursday in the January shooting of his younger brother at the family's Henderson home.

District Judge Donald Mosley sentenced Matthew Arrants, 19, to four to 10 years in prison in the Jan. 21 shooting of Joshua Arrants, 18, at their home near Racetrack Road and Burkholder Boulevard.

Joshua Arrants, who was shot once in the right arm, has since recovered from the shooting, although he still receives physical therapy, Deputy District Attorney Melissa De La Garza said.

Deputy Public Defender Kristen Lynch could not be reached Thursday for comment.

Arrants in February pleaded guilty to a single count of battery with a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm, causing prosecutors to drop attempted murder charges initially filed against him.

Authorities say the early morning shooting occurred on the porch at the home during an argument between the two teens over gang loyalties.

Prosecutors alleged Matthew Arrants went to his parents' bedroom and returned with a shotgun after he became upset at comments his brother made to someone he was speaking to on the phone.

The two had been drinking when the incident occurred, De La Garza said. Joshua Arrants might have had gang affiliations in the past, she said.