Photo provided Kingston Perez, 3, Hope, is shown at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis as he continues his recovery after being shot June 1 in his home.
A 3-year-old who was hospitalized after a shooting in Hope may be able to come home soon.
Kingston Perez is still at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis and is doing well, according to father George Perez Jr. It’s estimated that he will be able to leave the hospital in early August.
The doctors did not expect him to be at this point in his recovery this soon, considering the injury he endured, Perez said.
“He’s just a miracle, you know what I mean?” he said. “It’s a blessing, as far as he’s come already in so short a time.”
Kingston is working to use his right side and was not speaking yet, but has been trying. He goes through daily rehab sessions and is getting better each day, Perez said.
He and his wife have been told that by the time Kingston comes home, he’ll be walking, although he’ll still need to be in a stroller for longer stretches, such as shopping trips, walks or going to the park.
It could take a while for Kingston to be able to walk a long distance without a wheelchair, or he may always need one, his father said. However, this is something they likely won’t know for a long time.
Kingston and his father were injured in a shooting on June 1, according to an investigation by the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department. Suspect Robbie Perez, 35, brother to George Perez Jr., is being held in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of a $5 million bond.
Robbie Perez is accused of Level 1 felony attempted murder and two counts of Level 3 felony aggravated battery in the shooting case, according to court records. He has been served with two orders of protection in the case.
Sheriff deputies were called to the 300 block of Elm Street in Hope at 11:25 p.m. June 1 on a report of a shooting. Investigators believe Perez went to the home and stood on the porch, firing shots inside the home and hitting the father and son, and then leaving the scene, according to previous interviews.
Franklin Police located Perez’s vehicle the morning of June 2, sheriff’s deputies said. A pursuit ensued and the suspect was stopped by the Franklin officers.
However, when he was stopped, he was found to be suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chin. Perez was treated for the injury at Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis, with a corrections officer stationed on-site, according to Sheriff Chris Lane. He was later transferred to the county jail.
The investigation has revealed that the family dispute which culminated in the shooting centered around a long-term feud between the two Perez brothers, deputies said.
In an initial hearing before Bartholomew Circuit Judge Kelly Benjamin, a jury trial for Perez was set for 8:30 a.m. Oct. 24, with a change of plea hearing set for 3:30 p.m. Sept. 25.
When asked about the possible long-term effects of Kingston’s injury, George Perez Jr. replied, “It’s very, very hard to tell. Personality-wise, I don’t feel like I’ve lost any part of my son. I feel like Kingston is Kingston, to be honest with you. … I feel like he’s the same kid, other than he can’t speak and he can’t go run and play and get into things he ain’t supposed to, but he still wants to.”
Perez said that he thinks his son’s ability to speak will return, but at a reduced level and with some difficulty around certain syllables.
Kingston’s speech and his mobility on his right side are the two main areas of focus, as these seem to be the only things affected by the injury, said Perez.
He added that he’s spoken with outside therapy and other businesses that provide services that his son might need.
“Unfortunately, nobody in our area, in the Columbus, Hope area is prepared to take on Kingston because of the extent of his injuries and the extent of his rehab that he’s going to need,” said Perez. “Everybody in Columbus or in the Hope area has said that they are not — not that they’re not qualified, it’s just they’ve never dealt with it, so they don’t feel comfortable to. So we have to find out other, outside sources.”
Perez has had to leave the hospital to return to work but still visits. His wife is still there.
When asked how the two of them are feeling, Perez said, “Exhausted. Hopeful. Happy. Just, we praise God every day that he let him live.”
