POLICE: Jane Lew couple charged with hate crime, allegedly shot black man with paint ball gun

WESTON, W.Va (WDTV) - A Jane Lew couple has been charged after officers said they shouted vulgarities at two black men, one of whom was shot with a paint ball gun.

Officers received a complaint around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday that a car with a man and woman, later identified as Troy and Brandy Pertuset, in it stopped near a home on Center Ave. in Weston and started yelling racial slurs at a black man, according to a criminal complaint. Troy reportedly shot a paint ball gun from the car and struck the victim’s chest.

The victim later told officers he was outside his home when they pulled up and said, “Where are you [n---].” As they passed by, Troy allegedly pointed the paint ball gun at him and shot him. Officers saw a broken paint ball with yellow paint on the victim’s chest.

About 12 minutes after that incident, officers said they were dispatched to a gas station in reference to a dispute and a man with a gun. Authorities told officers a man and woman were in a car “yelling and threatening” a black man. Officers later identified both people as the same ones involved in the earlier incident.

The report says witnesses told officers the victim was in a verbal dispute with Troy and Brandy and heard Brandy shout racial slurs at the man. Troy allegedly got out of the vehicle and told the victim “I got a [expletive] pistol and I’m going to [expletive] shoot you for talking to my wife.” before threatening to kill the man while using racial slurs.

Officers recovered a paint ball gun along with green paint balls containing yellow paint from the vehicle Troy and Brandy were in. The paint balls reportedly matched the color of the one located on the victim’s chest.

Both Brandy and Troy Pertuset have been charged with hate crime. Both are being held at Central Regional Jail on a $50,000 bond each.

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