An Indiana woman shot a convicted child molester who was attempting to rape her 12-year-old daughter last week, according to reports.
FOX 59 reported that Bruce Pierce of Indianapolis was critically injured in the May 24 shooting, per the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Citing court records, the outlet said the 39-year-old was previously convicted of child molestation in 2016 and sentenced to eight years in prison.
Events leading up to his recent shooting occurred at the Baymont Inn on Eagle View Drive on the northwest side of Indianapolis. The FOX 59 report said the 12-year-old girl said she went with her family member to find her mom at the hotel. The girl’s mother was reportedly there with Pierce.
WTHR reported that the girl’s grandmother revealed in an investigation into the incident that a man named Bruce Pierce had been contacting the 12-year-old online and over the phone. She said he was trying to get the girl to run away with him, the outlet reported, citing court documents.
On the day of the incident, the victim and her sister reportedly came to their grandmother to tell her that their mother wasn’t home. That’s when they went to the hotel.
“According to the court documents, the mother temporarily left the 12-year-old girl alone in the hotel room with Pierce while she carried some bags out to a vehicle,” said FOX 59. “The mother returned to find Pierce on top of the 12-year-old girl, in the process of tearing her clothes off.”
She was saying “no,” as he was on top of her said the WTHR report.
While this was happening, Pierce allegedly had a firearm on him, witnesses said. As he pinned the girl’s arms to the bed, he ripped off her tank top, the 12-year-old said.
When her mother came in the room, she shouted at Pierce and pulled her own gun on him and opened fire, per reports. He was struck by the gunfire and the mother fled from the hotel with her daughter.
As of May 24, Pierce has been taken to Eskenazi Hospital and was in critical condition. The 12-year-old girl was taken to Riley Hospital for a checkup following the incident. WTHR said she was reportedly struck by the suspect’s gun.
A warrant was issued for Pierce’s arrest and he has been charged with the following: attempted rape, a Level 1 felony; attempted child molestation, a Level 1 felony; unlawful possession of a firearm, a Level 4 felony; and confinement, a Level 5 felony. FOX 59 did not list any charges for the mother who opened fire.
WTHR said that Pierce was last seen at a local Regal 8 Inn on West Washington St. in Indianapolis, but has been missing since Tuesday morning.
“The prevalence of child sexual abuse is difficult to determine because it is often not reported; experts agree that the incidence is far greater than what is reported to authorities,” according to the National Center for Victims of Crime. However, it provided statistics that indicate one in five girls and one in 20 boys are victims of sexual abuse.