By BEN LUNDIN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – A LaPlace man hospitalized himself last week when he accidentally shot his own leg trying to retaliate against a teenager who attempted to shoot him in a rage fueled by the man’s request for the teenager to get a job, the St. John Sheriff’s Office reports.

Leonard Robertson, 41, of 249 Joe Parquet Circle, reportedly fired his gun into his right thigh when he tripped trying to chase after his girlfriend’s son Devin Young, 19, of 249 Joe Parquet Circle, who was arrested by the St. John Sheriff’s Office for relentlessly shooting up Robertson’s brother’s car on two separate occasions.

The St. John Sheriff’s Office charged Young with aggravated assault, aggravated criminal damage to property, illegal use of weapons, firearm free zone and two counts of attempted first degree murder.

The trouble started at 10 p.m. when Robertson went out to the porch to tell Young to get a job. Young answered by pulling out a chrome handgun and firing a bullet into the ground, before telling Robertson &#8220he would shoot him down if he didn’t leave him alone,” according to the St. John Sheriff’s Office’s report.

Robertson backed off and called his brother, Kent Robertson, to ask for a ride away from the house and soon both men drove towards Kent’s house. During the drive Leonard Robertson realized he needed a change of clothes and Kent turned the car around to head back to 249 Joe Parquet Circle.

When the two men arrived at the house the sounds of gunfire reportedly filled the air as the rear window of the car exploded in a flurry of broken glass. Leonard grabbed Kent’s .380 semi-automatic handgun, threw open the car door and ran into the home.

Leonard’s search for Young turned up nothing. He headed out of the house to return the car, but stumbled on the doorway and lodged a bullet in his right thigh when he accidentally pulled the gun’s trigger, according to the St. John Sheriff’s Office.

Kent helped his wounded brother to the car and started driving to the hospital before Young allegedly riddled his car with bullets a second time.

None of Young’s shots struck Kent or Leonard, who was treated at River Parishes Hospital soon after the incident.

Officers didn’t find Young at the scene, but tracked him down three days later and booked him at the St. John Correctional Center with a $505,000 bond.