A 16-year-old Bellevue boy who is facing charges of second-degree assault with a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm for allegedly shooting his 12-year-old brother in the face last month pleaded not guilty Thursday morning.

If convicted, Adrian Flores Maldonado, who is being tried as an adult, faces three-and-a-half to four years in prison.

Police said on the evening of Jan. 31 Maldonado and his brother were arguing over who could use a video game.

The younger brother put Maldonado in a headlock. The older brother freed himself and went to his bedroom and pulled a semi-automatic gun from under his mattress. He allegedly pulled the trigger and the younger boy was hit in the face.

“We were just play-fighting when the gun went off,” Maldonado said in court documents.

According to court documents, Maldonado brought the gun to Interlake High School the previous day, and it was loaded. The older boy told police he hid the Ruger 9 mm under his bed without unloading it. He said he forget it was loaded during the situation with his brother when he pulled the trigger.

Police learned that the boy bought the gun illegally. He claims to have gang affiliations. He said he purchased the weapon in December from an 18-year-old fellow gang member. The situation occurred at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the 12th Place Condos, at the 16200 Block of Northeast 12th Court. Officers responded to a report of a boy with blood coming from his mouth and face.