Mothers of man shot May 19 by Ocala Police Department officers praying for his recovery

The mothers of the man severely wounded by a police officer when he was shot on May 19, said their son faces an unknown future.

David Laperriere has had at least four surgeries since he was shot early that afternoon, his mothers said, and he's expected to have more. Surgeries performed so far include those to his stomach, a lung and a kidney.

The women, Jeannine Laperriere and Sharon Pittsley, said they've been told by medical officials that their son was shot eight times. The gunshots were to his upper body. The mothers said their son cannot talk because he's not breathing on his own, and has to rely on tubes for survival.

"He wasn't in his right mind. We're overwhelmed with his medical condition," Jeannine Laperriere said.

Police officials said they were told on May 19 that Laperriere ran away from The Vines Hospital, a mental facility, after he was acting erratically the day before.

Officers located Laperriere in the 5500 block of Southwest 27th Avenue. Authorities said Laperriere was armed with pepper spray and a knife, and refused to listen to commands or talk with them.

Laperriere was tased by Officer Luis Camacho and shot with a non-lethal device by Ferdinand Collazo, neither of which brought Laperriere into compliance, law enforcement officials said. The 23-year-old then charged at Sgt. Sean Young and was shot by the officer.

Police officials released a video of the incident at a press conference held May 20. Camacho and Collazo can return to duty with no restrictions whenever they're ready, officials said. Young is on paid leave as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates the shooting. Combined, the officers have more than 40 years of experience. Young is being represented by local defense lawyer Jimmie Sparrow.

Laperriere is presently under guard at the hospital. He's charged with two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and one count of aggravated assault on a law enforcement official.

Jeannine Laperriere said her son wasn't acting erratically the day before the shooting. Rather, she said, he was depressed and crying frequently.

The woman said her son went willingly to the mental facility because he wanted to see his doctor. She said she called her son's doctor the day before the shooting about his condition. She said the doctor was going to give him his medication.

Laperriere's mother said her son had the knife and spray due to them living in an RV park where a bear was seen. She said her son likes walking in the mornings and kept the spray and knife for protection.

Pittsley took Laperriere to the mental facility, Jeannine Laperriere said. There, Laperriere said their son wasn't willing to give up the knife and the spray because he thought they would not be returned to him. Laperriere ran, leaving Pittsley behind.

Roughly two hours later, police officials told Pittsley that her son had been shot.

"He didn't rob a bank. He wouldn't hurt anyone," Jeannine Laperriere said.

Laperriere, his twin brother, another brother and a sister, were adopted by Jeannine Laperriere and Pittsley when they were children. The women have been together for years.

Jeannine Laperriere said her son has schizophrenia. He moved to Tennessee with one of his brothers, however, it didn't work out so he returned to Marion County, Laperriere said.

Records show David Laperriere was arrested by a Dunnellon police official in 2019 for unoccupied burglary. That charge was later dropped by prosecutors because the homeowner did not want to pursue any charges.

The mothers said when the shooting occurred, they were unable to visit their son because he's being guarded at the hospital. Pittsley was with Laperriere at HCA Florida Ocala hospital after the shooting. Wednesday was the first time one of the mothers — Pittsley — had seen their son. With more surgeries in the future, the women said they will continue to be by their son's side.

Laperriere said the department should have a crisis team with officers to help them.

"He didn't (referring to Young) have to shoot my son so many times," Laperriere said. "He wasn't a criminal."

Press conference: Ocala police release body cam footage from Sunday afternoon's officer-involved shooting

Ocala police officials said they have no comment on the claims made by Laperriere's mothers as the incident is under investigation by the FDLE.

For now, the women said they're hoping and praying that their son recovers from his injuries.

— Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Mothers of man shot by Ocala police officers praying for his recovery