Kingston Perez
A 3-year-old child who was shot last week at his home in Hope is in critical but stable condition at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, his father said Tuesday.
Kingston Perez and his father, George Perez Jr., 36, were shot in their home in Hope on Thursday night, with law enforcement later apprehending Robbie L. Perez, 35, — brother to George Perez, Jr. — as a suspect in the shooting.
As of Tuesday afternoon, George Perez Jr. said that Kingston is in a medically-induced coma to prevent further brain damage. He was expected to undergo surgery later on Tuesday.
Kristy Gale has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the family with medical bills, with a goal of raising $10,000. To donate, go to gofundme.com and search “Praying for Kingston recovery.”
George Perez Jr. said that donations will go toward whatever costs he needs to cover to take care of Kingston.
“If he pulls through this and is going to be able to have some quality of life, then that money will help provide that quality of life,” he said.
At 11:25 p.m. Thursday, sheriff’s deputies were sent to the 300 block of Elm Street in Hope where they found George Perez Jr. and Kingston Perez, who had both been shot. The two victims were transported by Lifeline helicopter to Indianapolis Thursday night, and George Perez Jr. was released from an Indianapolis hospital on Friday morning, said Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department Spokesman Sgt. Dane Duke.
Investigators said that Robbie Perez later shot himself near Whiteland following a pursuit by Franklin police on Friday morning. As of Monday, he was in unknown condition at Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis.
Bartholomew County Sheriff Chris Lane said in a previous interview that a corrections officer is with Robbie Perez at Eskenazi and will stay there while the suspect remains in the hospital, possibly as long as into next week. When he is released, he will be transported to the Bartholomew County Jail, Lane said.
The suspect is being held on two charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and a court order for no bond in the case, according to arrest records.
George Perez Jr. said he was at home with six of his sons when the shooting occurred. He was finishing putting them to bed when he heard a “rapid knock” at the door. As soon as he opened it, a shot was fired from outside of the house, he said.
“Kingston was standing in the middle of our living room and just got hit by one of the random bullets that was coming in the house,” he said. “I’m assuming I was the target. I don’t know why I was the target.”
His best guess is that it may be due to a grudge, he said. Investigators said earlier that the shooting was the result of a long-standing feud between the two brothers.
“My brother had still had hard feelings about me sleeping with a girlfriend of his when I was like 20 years old,” he said.
George Perez Jr. said his brother indicated at a recent family gathering that this was the reason the two brothers have not had a relationship since that time.
He added that he’s not certain if this is the reason for the shooting, but it’s the only reason he can think of.
“I’m just really baffled and just in awe of not knowing why this had happened to us,” he said in a telephone interview from the hospital on Tuesday.
