Authorities in Alabama have arrested a man in connection with the shooting of his father after they got involved in a serious argument.
Per the New York Post, the judge, identified as Johnny Hardwick, has since been left in a serious condition after his son Khalfani Hardwick allegedly opened fire on him. The February 24 incident occurred at the victim’s home in Montgomery.
And though authorities are yet to establish the motive behind what was described as a “domestic incident”, Khalfani Hardwick, 36, was quickly identified as the suspect in the wake of the shooting. Johnny Hardwick serves as the presiding judge of Montgomery County’s Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.
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“Judge Hardwick was involved in a domestic incident with his son and suffered serious injuries from a gunshot wound,” Assistant Chief Wesley Richerson told the news outlet.
The suspect is said to have driven away before he was later apprehended in the wake of the shooting. But authorities are yet to charge him in connection with the incident. Richerson also said Johnny Hardwick had to undergo surgery after his son shot him, adding that the victim’s injuries are “serious.”
This isn’t the first time Khalfani Hardwick has had a run-in with the law. The 36-year-old suspect was previously charged in connection with the 2014 shooting of a victim identified as Clayton Riley. He was, however, not convicted after he reached a plea deal that saw his attempted murder charge being downgraded to second-degree assault, WFSA reported.
“He finally admitted to it,” Riley said at the time. “I’m feeling disappointed that he’s going to be able to get out.”
Khalfani Hardwick is said to have shot Riley in the back of the head, causing the victim to subsequently suffer many health issues. “I have a big scar on the back of my head,” Riley said. “I have eye damage and nerve damage in my hands and feet, and very tough migraines and seizures.”
