A Greenwood man is being held on a warrant while the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office continues to gather evidence regarding the Saturday shooting in White River Township.
The sheriff’s office confirmed the identity of their person of interest in the shooting Monday as Lal T. Fela, 53. He is currently being held on a warrant for a separate domestic violence incident that occurred in May. He is being held on “no bond,” jail records show.
The shooting occurred at approximately 4:09 p.m. in the 1200 block of Wood Creek Drive, Greenwood. Upon arrival, deputies found one person who had been shot. White River Township Fire Department transported the victim to IU Methodist Hospital in serious but stable condition.
The victim, a 24-year-old family member of Lal, has been released from the hospital and is now recovering at home, Sheriff Duane Burgess said Monday.
The sheriff’s office arrested Lal following the incident on Saturday but investigators have had difficulty with gathering facts they are able to release to the public due to a language barrier, Burgess said. In a previous 72-hour hold for the domestic violence case filing, Lal requested a Burmese language translator.
The 24-year-old was not the victim of the previous domestic violence case, but is mentioned in the police report as a witness, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Witnesses told the responding deputy that Lal allegedly hit another family member on the evening of May 23. When deputies arrived Lal was being held down by the 24-year-old and the family member allegedly harmed in the domestic violence incident, the affidavit says.
Witnesses said Lal kicked at the family member’s bedroom door until he opened it, when the door opened he allegedly punched the family member in the face. The family member punched back and then joined with the 24-year-old in holding Lal down until deputies arrived, court documents say.
While he was being held down, Lal allegedly told the 24-year-old and the other family member he was going to shoot them, the affidavit says.
Lal was allegedly drunk that night and witnesses say he sometimes gets angry and violent with family members when that happens, the affidavit says.
Investigators are still gathering facts on the Saturday shooting investigation and will share more information when possible and charges, if applicable, Burgess said.
