Man accused of shooting coworker with a nail gun

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- A man has been charged with battery with a deadly weapon for allegedly shooting his coworker with a pneumatic nail gun, according to court records.

On September 28 at 10:30 a.m., a deputy responded to Champagne Metals on Greenfield Parkway for reports of an altercation between two employees.

An employee who witnessed the incident said it started when the victim yelled at Fernando Garcia Lopez to, "Do his [expletive deleted] job," reports said.

Garcia Lopez then began yelling back at the victim in Spanish. The witness did not know what Garcia Lopez said.

The victim left the area to tell the supervisor that Garcia Lopez was not working, reports said.

When the victim returned from talking to the supervisor, he threw a hard hat near where Garcia Lopez was, but did not throw it directly at Garcia Lopez, the witness told police.

Garcia Lopez kicked the hard hat, then the victim shoved Garcia Lopez with his shoulder, reports said.

Garcia Lopez then shot the victim in the back with the pneumatic nail gun, the witness said. Garcia Lopez was approximately one to two feet from the victim when he shot the victim.

The victim then ran and yelled for someone to call police.

A second witness did not see the first part of the fight but did see Garcia Lopez shoot the victim with the nail gun, according to the probable cause affidavit.

During the investigation deputies learned Garcia Lopez was working under a false name because he was in the US illegally, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Garcia Lopez spoke with deputies through a translator. He said he and the victim do not get along and the victim is constantly yelling at him.

He said he intended to push the victim with the nail gun, he did not intend to shoot the victim with the nail gun, reports said.

Deputies seized the nail gun and nails as evidence.

Garcia Lopez was charged on Wednesday.

He has an initial hearing on October 6.