YOUNGSTOWN — Jalachi T. Jones, 19, of Beachwood Drive, pleaded guilty to reckless homicide Thursday in the accidental shooting death of his twin brother, Malachi Jones, on Dec. 27, 2021, at their East Side home.

Judge Anthony Donofrio of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court sentenced Jalachi Jones to five years of probation and no jail time, but he must continue his ongoing mental health counseling.

Kevin Trapp, county assistant prosecutor, said Malachi had obtained a firearm. The brothers were in the bathroom “kind of playing with it and just checking it out, and at some point Jalachi had the firearm, probably playfully pointed it at Malachi.”

He said he believes they thought the safety on the gun was locked.

“It was loaded, shot and killed him,” Trapp said. “Everything we have suggests it was a complete accident. This was not malicious or anything like that.”

Prosecutors recommended the probationary sentence Jalachi Jones received, Trapp said. Jalachi never again will be able to possess a firearm legally because of the offense for which he was convicted.

Jalachi’s guardian said she already lost Malachi to this shooting and did not want to lose the other young man to prison, Trapp said.

According to Malachi Jones’ obituary, he attended the Martin Luther King Jr. and Kirkmere schools and graduated from East High School in 2020.

He worked at several McDonald’s and Popeye’s restaurants and loved basketball, video games and cars.

He attended the Choffin Career Center for welding “until he fell ill,” his obituary reads. His dream was to get his driver’s license and go back to school to get his welder’s license.

He was on the state championship rugby team for East High School and helped coach the Youngstown Chargers youth football team.