VICTORVILLE — A 20-year-old Riverside man accused of shooting a 17-year-old boy in the 16800 block of Tracy Street on Sunday was behind bars and expected to be arraigned in a Victorville courtroom Wednesday afternoon if criminally charged by prosecutors.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested Jesse Arroyo at approximately 7 p.m. Sunday after responding to the shooting hours earlier. The shooting was reported at 1:47 p.m. in the area of Tracy and Center streets.

Arroyo was arrested at a home in the 16800 block of Tracy Street on suspicion of assault with a firearm.

Deputies arrived and found the boy lying in the street with a gunshot wound to his chest. The victim was transported to a local hospital and was later airlifted to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where sheriff’s officials say he is in critical condition.

Sheriff’s officials believe Arroyo shot the boy Sunday afternoon with a handgun. Authorities say it appears the shooting was "accidental.”

“Through further investigation it was determined the victim was in his home with Arroyo and two other friends when Arroyo discharged a handgun, striking the victim in the chest,” sheriff’s officials said in a statement. “It was initially reported that the shooting suspect was an unknown male who entered the victim’s home and shot him.”

A man in the neighborhood told the Daily Press on Sunday that the victim was shot inside a home and came outside, where the man helped the victim lie down on the street and tried to assist until paramedics arrived.

Arroyo was being held at High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto in lieu of $50,000 bail, booking records show.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call Detective Mike Mason at the Victorville Sheriff’s Station at 760-241-2911. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the WeTip hotline at 800-782-7436 or visit www.wetip.com.