Police: Brothers’ feud leads to shooting, injured child, attempted murder charge

HOPE, Ind. (WISH) — A 35-year-old man has been charged for the attempted murder of his brother and his brother’s 3-year-old son near Columbus, the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office announced Wednesday.

Robbie L. Perez, of Columbus, was formally charged in the Bartholomew Circuit Court with attempted murder and two counts of aggravated battery. He is being held without bond, according to a release.

Police believe that the shooting was a result of a long-term feud between the brothers.

At 11:25 p.m. on June 1, deputies responded to a report of a shooting in the 300 block of Elm Street in Hope. That’s a residential area several blocks east of State Road 9 and 15 miles northeast of Columbus.

Officer located George Perez Jr., 36, and his son suffering from gunshot wounds. A helicopter took both to an Indianapolis area hospital for treatment. Police say that the 3-year-old remained in the hospital undergoing treatment on Wednesday.

At 10:49 a.m. on June 2, officers were notified that a silver Chevrolet HHR that was allegedly being driven by Perez was spotted on East King Street near its intersection with I-65 in Johnson County.

Franklin police located the SUV and attempted to stop Perez, who led the officers on a short pursuit. Police say they used a tire-deflation device to stop Perez at the intersection of North Hurricane Road and Whiteland Road. When the pursuit ended, officers approached the SUV and found Perez “suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the sheriff’s office said.