ST. LOUIS — Fresh out of the hospital Monday night ... a bandaged, bloodied and furious Josh Eberhart told 5 On Your Side exclusively about the gunshot wounds he, his wife and their son suffered allegedly at the hands of their neighbor.
"That was just horrible man. It was just over some petty, kids' stuff," said Eberthart.
Eberhart told police around 2 Monday afternoon his neighbor, who lives one block over, fired gunshots at him and his family.
"He fired a bunch of shots. At least eight. He hit the ground a gang of times," recalled Eberhart.
He said on Sunday his 12-year-old son and the man's children had an argument.
By Monday afternoon, Eberhart says that feud escalated into a fight between his 12-year-old son and the man's 14-year-old daughter outside their home near Nebraska and Keokuk Avenue in the Dutchtown neighborhood in south St. Louis.
"They got into a fight in our courtyard area and then the man pulled a pistol out of his pocket and unloaded it," said Eberhart.
Bullets suddenly flew.
"Bam! He hit me first in my leg. He hit my 12-year-old son in his thigh and he hit my wife in in right leg and foot. I covered my wife so he wouldn't shoot her anymore," said the frightened father.
"Blood was pouring out of my son's leg. I ripped my shirt off and tied it around his leg," said Eberhart.
He says blood-stained trails dot the paths where they ran for their lives and his son knocked on neighbors' doors for help.
"I didn't even realize my son was shot until I got my wife in the doorway. I just turned and I looked at the guy and I said damn man you're going to try to kill us?" recalled the father.
Paramedics rushed the 7th grader and his mom to a hospital.
Dad drove himself to a hospital.
Police arrested the suspect at the scene.
"I just saw the man with the gun and heard the family saying stop shooting," said neighbor, Sir Maximus McDaniel.
McDaniel called 911.
"I just think it's stupid and very upsetting because why would anybody be shooting at a family and kids especially," said McDaniel.
"I'm just thanking God right now that we're all still alive. I'm also praying for that man's family as well because you know he messed up," said Eberhart.
As of Monday night, Eberhart's wife and son are still in the hospital.
The suspect remains in the city jail, awaiting charges.