HELENA, Mont. —  A 28-year-old Helena man faces three counts of felony assault on a minor after police say he shot his 5-year-old son three times with an air gun that shoots plastic BB's.

Police arrested Billy Watts on Friday after his son told a school teacher that his father shot him with an air gun the previous night.

Officers saw red marks on the boy's forearm, chest and back that appeared to be dried blood scabbing over the wounds.

Court records say the boy told officers that his father shot himself in the head with the gun.

Watts told police he was messing around with his son and did not intend to hurt him. He was jailed on $10,000 bail.