Full Notification

Alcohol induced fight results in father shooting son.
 
Sheriff Richard J Behnke reports that his Deputies investigated a shooting in the 11000 block of VanBuren St in Marcellus Township on 5/26/21 at 2133 hrs. The Deputies stated that A fight broke out between a father Russell Gonder (55 yrs. old from Marcellus) and his son Cody Gonder (29 yrs. old from Marcellus) after they had been drinking. Cody had been excessively drinking and had a firearm on his side in a holster during the altercation.   Russell was able to disarm him and throw the firearm to the side. The son came back to assault the father again but the father grabbed the gun and shot the son in the head. The son was attended to by Pride Care Ambulance and Marcellus Ambulance before he was flown to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo by South Bend Memorial Med Flight. He remains in critical condition currently. The father was taken to Ascension Borgess Lee Memorial Hospital for the injuries he had sustained during the altercation. The father was treated for his injuries and has been released at this time.  The case remains under investigation at this time and the case will be forwarded to the Prosecutor’s Office to review for any charges.  Anyone that has information on this case is encouraged to contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office at (269)445-1560.
     The Cass County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on scene by the Pride Care Ambulance service, Marcellus Ambulance, Marcellus Fire Department and South Bend Memorial Med Flight.