JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Mandarin High School teacher's aide and assistant coach was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Investigators said Bradley Jennings, 31, pointed a shotgun at a clerk at a check-cashing store on Old Kings Road.

Police said Jennings walked into the store on Oct. 30 wearing all black clothing, black gloves and white mask and demanded money. The clerk said she attempted to press the silent alarm, but Jennings pointed the shotgun at her, according to the police report.

Officers said once the clerk complied, Jennings pulled off his mask and said it was a joke, and that he was only trying to scare her. Then he left, according to the report.

Investigators said Jennings, who the clerk said was a regular customer at the store, returned five minutes later and apologized to the clerk.

Police said they arrested Jennings, a former Florida State University football player who was part of the Seminoles' 1999 national championship team and an All-ACC selection, at his home and seized a paintball gun and a "Scream" Halloween mask.

At Jennings' first appearance Tuesday, a defense attorney told the judge it was a Halloween gag and that Jennings knew the store clerk.

"It's very obvious it was a prank, just a prank gone bad," Jennings' attorney Reginald Estell Jr. said. "A silly thing to do. ... He went back and apologized, did what he should have done, the responsible thing. The state has arrested him for this, but we'll speak with them and come up with the appropriate resolution."

Jennings' bond was set at $10,003.

Jill Johnson, with the Duval County School Board, said the board will recommend termination for Jennings.

"We're actually moving forward with recommending to the board that we terminate this gentlemen," Johnson said. "He's a paraprofessional at Mandarin High School, and at this point is also an assistant coach on the football team."